owed much since he come here over two years ago. Jinnie
can carry him in one arm."

"Poor child!" said Theodore sympathetically.

Just then Jinnie came into the room shyly. Bobbie had excitedly
whispered to her that "the beautiful big man with the nice hands"
wanted her. She hesitated at the sight of Mr. King, but advanced as
Lafe held out his hand to her.

Before Theodore could explain, she had told him:

"The master isn't giving me a lesson to-day, but he will to-morrow
because you're coming."

With pride in her voice, she said it radiantly, the color mantling
high in her cheeks. Molly's importunate insistence escaped Theodore's
mind. When with Jinnie, ordinary matters generally did fade away.

"I'm very glad," he replied. "I hope you've progressed a lot."

"She has, sir, she sure has," Lafe put in. "You'll be surprised! How
long since you've heard her play?"

"A long time," answered Theodore, and still forgetting Molly, he went
on, "I wonder if you'd like to come to the house to-morrow to dinner
and play for us. My mother was speaking about how much she'd enjoy it
only a short time ago."

Jinnie's eyes sparkled.

"I should love to come," she answered gladly.

He rose to go, taking her hand.

"Then I'll send the car for you," he promised her.

He was sitting at his office desk when Molly the Merry once more came
into his mind. An ejaculation escaped his lips, and he made a wry
face. Then, in comparison, Jinnie, with all her sparkling youth, rose
triumphant before him. He loved the child, for a child she still
seemed to him. To tell her now of his affection might harm her work.
He would wait! She was so young, so very young.

For a long time he sat thinking and dreaming of the future, and into
the quiet of his office he brought, in brilliant vision, a radiant,
raven-haired woman--his ideal--his Jinnie. Suddenly again he
remembered his promise to Molly and slowly took down the telephone.
Then deliberately he replaced it. It would be easier to explain the
circumstances face to face with her, and no doubt entered his mind but
that the woman would be satisfied and very glad that Jinnie was
coming with her violin to play for them. Molly wouldn't mind
postponing her trip for a few days.

Molly was reclining as usual in the hammock with a book in her hand
when he ran up the steps.

"Molly," he began, going to her quickly, "I want to confess."

"Confess?" she repeated, sitting up.

"Yes, it's this way: