She turned upon him rather quickly and said, "A young man like you has no business to be 'devoured with ennui.' Why not engage in some pursuit, or take up some subject that will interest you and stir your pulse?" With a touch of his old mock gallantry he bowed and said, "In you I see just the subject, and am delighted to think I'm going to have you all to myself this rainy afternoon." With a half-vexed laugh and somewhat heightened color she answered, "I imagine you won't have me all to yourself long." She had hardly spoken the words before the children bounded in, exclaiming, "Now, Aunt Annie, for our stories." "You see, Mr. Gregory, here are previous and counter-claims already." "I wish I knew of some way of successfully disputing them." "It would be difficult to find. Well, come, little people, we will go into the sitting-room and not disturb Mr. Gregory." "Now, I protest against that," he said. "You might at least let me be one of the children." "But the trouble is, you won't be one, but will sit by criticising and laughing at our infantile talk." "Now you do me wrong. I will be as good as I can, and if you knew how long and dreary the day has been you would not refuse." She looked at him keenly for a moment, and then said, a little doubtfully, "Well, I will try for once. Run and get your favorite Sunday books, children." When they were alone he asked, "How can you permit these youngsters to be such a burden?" "They are not a burden," she answered. "But a nurse could take care of them and keep them quiet." "If their father and mother were living they would not think 'keeping them quiet' all their duty toward them, nor do I, to whom they were left as a sacred trust." "That awful word 'duty' rules you, Miss Walton, with a rod of iron." "Do I seem like a harshly driven slave?" she asked, smilingly. "No, and I cannot understand you." "That is because your philosophy of life is wrong. You still belong to that old school who would have it that sun, moon, and stars revolve around the earth. But here are the books, and if you are to be one of the children you must do as I bid you--be still and listen." It was strange to Gregory how content he was to obey. He was surprised at his interest in the old Bible stories told in childish language, and as Annie stopped to explain a point or answer a question, he found himself listening as did the eager little boy sitting on the floor at her feet. The hackneyed man of the world could not understand how the true, simple language of nature, like the little brown blossoms of lichens, has a beauty of its own.