unexpected
movement without prejudice. His face remained as it was, his mouth open
to emit the howl if I did not surpass expectation. I saw that, like the
fair-minded boy he has always been, he was giving me my chance, and
I worked feverishly, my chief fear being that, owing to his youth,
he might not know how marvellous was this thing I was doing. It is an
appeal to the intellect, as well as to the senses, and no one on earth
can do it except myself.

When I paused for a moment exhausted he signed gravely, with unchanged
face, that though it was undeniably funny, he had not yet decided
whether it was funny enough, and, taking this for encouragement, at it
I went once more, till I saw his forces wavering, when I sent my left
eyebrow up almost farther than I could bring it back, and with that I
had him, the smile broke through the clouds.

In the midst of my hard-won triumph I heard cheering.

I had been vaguely conscious that we were not quite alone, but had not
dared to look away from David; I looked now, and found to my annoyance
that I was the centre of a deeply interested gathering of children.
There was, in particular, one vulgar little street-boy--

However, if that damped me in the moment of victory, I was soon to
triumph gloriously in what began like defeat. I had sat me down on one
of the garden-seats in the Figs, with one hand resting carelessly on the
perambulator, in imitation of the nurses, it was so pleasant to assume
the air of one who walked with David daily, when to my chagrin I saw
Mary approaching with quick stealthy steps, and already so near me that
flight would have been ignominy. Porthos, of whom she had hold, bounded
toward me, waving his traitorous tail, but she slowed on seeing that I
had observed her. She had run me down with my own dog.

I have not mentioned that Porthos had for some time now been a visitor
at her house, though never can I forget the shock I got the first time
I saw him strolling out of it like an afternoon caller. Of late he has
avoided it, crossing to the other side when I go that way, and rejoining
me farther on, so I conclude that Mary's husband is painting him.

I waited her coming stiffly, in great depression of spirits, and noted
that her first attentions were for David, who, somewhat shabbily, gave
her the end of a smile which had been begun for me. It seemed to relieve
her, for what one may call the wild maternal look left her face, and
trying to check little