"Why not?" asked Mr. Ben, smiling down upon her. "We still have some rooms vacant at the Truefelt House." "Oh, dear me, no!" said Carolyn, shaking her head. "They couldn't come. Not this summer. You see, they are too poor." "Oh!" "Yes. He isn't earning enough for them to go away for a vacation. But the doctor says she and the baby should get out of the city. It's dreadful. You ought to see that baby. He's such a skinny little thing." Ben Truefelt glanced up to see Mrs. Cameron standing by them. He bade Carolyn's mother a courteous good-morning and asked her how she had slept with rather boyish diffidence. Then he added, quickly: "Oh, Mrs. Cameron, mother told me she thought you were interested in one of my college friends who clerked for us here at the Truefelt House for a season. It was after our junior year. He was in my class, good old Grif was." "'Grif'?" repeated Carolyn's mother. "That's what we called him," Ben Truefelt said with a smile. "And 'Griffin Junior.' Very disrespectful of us, Mrs. Cameron. But college boys aren't strong on respect, you know. The newspapers called Grif's father 'the Griffin of Wall Street,' so we called him 'Griffin Junior.'" "Do you speak of Mr. Joe Bassett?" demanded Carolyn's mother. "Yes, Mrs. Cameron." "I chanced to overhear what my little girl was saying to you," she continued. "Do you know, Mr. Truefelt, she was speaking of Joe Bassett's wife and child?" He stared at her, his very good brown eyes opening more widely and the smile quite gone from his face. "You do not really mean that, Mrs. Cameron? This 'pale lady' the little girl speaks of and the 'skinny' baby? Can they be Joe Bassett's wife and child?" "Exactly. Did you not know that he married two years ago against his father's command, and was disowned?" "Good old Grif? Never!" "Not only that, but there was something about his break with his father," said Hannah Cameron cautiously, "that has put him in bad odour. Nor has he been successful in anything that he has undertaken. I happen to know that he is about to lose his position on the New York _Beacon_, where he has lately been working as reporter. He is not a good reporter." "By George!" exclaimed Ben Truefelt with vigour, "he made a mighty good hotel clerk, and I wish I had him right now." "That is my reason for speaking to you," went on Mrs. Cameron quickly. "His wife and child are suffering in the hot city. I believe he loves them. If they could all three come here--" "If Grif will do it, I'm sure mother will agree," the young man said. "You understand, do you not," said Carolyn's mother, "that I do not recommend Mr. Bassett? I cannot vouch for his character." "Why, nobody need recommend Grif to me, Mrs. Cameron. I know him. I can't imagine why he broke with his father; but whatever Grif says will go a long way with me. You see, I knew him for years. And if there is any time in life when fellows get to know each other, it is in those college years."