a
velvet-coated little fellow of Helen's size. What is your age, my
boy?"

I told him I should be fifteen the next spring, counting, as most
young people do, by the milestone ahead of me, instead of the one I
had passed.

"Oh, that is quite an age," said he with an air of relief. "Do not
expect to make a playmate of Mr. Floyd Randolph, Helen: he is quite
too old to care for a mere child like yourself."

"He is not nearly as old as papa." returned Helen quickly, "and papa
will play with me all day long."

"Yes, yes," said Mr. Raymond, sinking back among his cushions and
tiger-skins, "all the world can play but me. I must be content to sit
outside the joy and the sunshine. I have lived too long. Only the
young, bright people of the world are welcome even to my own little
grandchild."

Helen threw her arm about his neck and stroked his cheek with her slim
hand. "You know, grandpa," she said simply, "that I do not care for
play, and I love our quiet times together; but you forget what Dr.
Sharpe says--that I must run about out of doors and be as merry as I
can, or else--"

He stopped her with a quick, shuddering gesture. "Oh no," said he, "I
do not forget. Do not make me out worse than I am to Floyd, Helen." He
rang a hand-bell on the table by his side, and began feebly to adjust
the wrappings about his shoulders.--"I will go in, Frederick," he
murmured to the servant, who advanced at once as if he had been
waiting close by--"I will go in and sit by the fire.--Helen, you must
show Floyd the place.--There are greenhouses, and the stables are
worth seeing too," he added to me apologetically. "I hear that
Robinson has some rare fowls, and Helen has dogs of all kinds, and a
few deer. It will do her good to go about, you know." He broke off
suddenly, a spasm crossing his face, and without more words he turned
abruptly to his valet, took his arm and walked feebly toward the
house.

We stood together looking after him--I a little shy and perplexed in
my new position, Helen thoughtful and melancholy.

"Poor grandpa!" she said presently with a sigh: "he has only me, you
know, Floyd. He has nothing else in the whole wide world, and it
worries him to think that he cannot be with me always, that he
cannot--"

She broke off, and the small face twitched as if she were about to
cry, but she controlled herself.

The splendid house, with its gleaming windows and stately pillars, the
wide grounds, the air of quiet magnificenc