"My dear little wife, perhaps I have been rash. But I felt awfully sorry for the young fellow, he looked half-starved, and it is my way to act quickly. I really have been so accustomed to arrange and do things on my own that I sometimes forget my better half at home. I've told this young Russian to come out and see you and his future charge to-morrow. I think you will like him. I did. He is Greek Church, I believe. But we have the responsibility of Alain's religious training. He will only teach him his lessons." Adrienne said no more, and the next afternoon Monsieur Dragominsk arrived. He was a slight, nervous-looking man, with very dark and rather restless-looking eyes. His face was pinched and sallow, his smile lightened rather a gloomy face. But he spoke both English and French like a native, and was, he said, very fond of music. "I have taught in small boys' schools, both French and music. Also European history. And I will give your little boy a thorough grounding in Latin." He spoke to Adrienne; something in her bearing told him that she was more critical than her husband. "Alain is a very small boy. We want his lessons to be made pleasant to him. Have you had experience with small children? They want a lot of patience." "Madame, my patience is infinite. I know boys. I understand them—I like them." Then Alain was summoned, and he regarded his future tutor with big searching eyes. "You've put your tie through a ring," he remarked suddenly. "What is on the ring? An—an animal?" "Come and see it. It is our crest." "Thanks, I won't come too close, till I know you better." Alain shrank away from the encircling arm. But in a few minutes, he was talking eagerly to the stranger, and before the interview was over, it was arranged that Monsieur Dragominsk should start his teaching the following week. When he had gone Guy turned to his wife: "Well, little woman, why so sober?" "I don't know. I don't quite like him, Guy, and yet I can't tell you why." "You think I was too impulsive in offering him the job?" "I think you are so determined to help everyone in need that perhaps their needs come first with you. But he may be all right. His references are good, and if he's a genuine refugee, I'm very sorry for him." "We can but try him. Your sharp ears and eyes will soon discover if anything is wrong." Adrienne laughed. "Woman's instinct is sometimes ahead of man's decisions," she said, and then they dropped the subject. CHAPTER XIX ALAIN'S TUTOR IT was three months later.