“I’m going to bring up some of my stuff and read it to you,” he said. “You can take that as a compliment if you like, for I’ve only shown it to one other person—a man.” “Now, I know why you like me! You are going to study me.” “Well, it’s partly that,” he replied coolly. “You are a new type—to me at any rate, and I shall probably know a good deal more after I have known you a year or so than I do now. Who is that? What an amiable-looking person!” Patience followed his glance. Beverly stood at the foot of the slope, with distorted face. “Oh, dear,” she said, “that is Mr. Peele. I am afraid he is going to be disagreeable. Of course I am not obliged to stay—but in a way I am.” Steele ran the boat into the dock, handed her out, and reefed the sail before he spoke. Then he turned and looked at her squarely. “Would you rather I did not come?” he asked. “No! No! I want you to come. I’ll think it over and write you—or—I wonder if you are horrid like most men and would misunderstand me if I asked you always to come on a certain day and meet me in that wood up there, instead of going to the house?” “Look here,” he said in his old business-like tone, “just let me set your mind at rest. I haven’t the slightest intention of making love to you. In the first place I am just now tired and sick of that sort of thing—a state a man does get into occasionally, although a woman will never believe it. In the second place I like to think of you as _sui generis_; a woman on a pedestal. It is very refreshing. A week from to-day I’ll be in that wood, and I’ll stay there from four to six whether you come or not. There comes my train.” “You must flag it. Hurry. I’ll expect you Thursday.” XIII “Who is that man?” thundered Beverly, as she crossed the track behind the train. Patience raised her eyebrows. “What have you to do with my visitors?” “You sha’n’t receive men, and you sha’n’t sail in my boat.” “Of course the boat is yours. I shall not use it again.” “You are my nurse.” “Your nurse is always ready to be dismissed,” and she walked up the slope, taking no further notice of him. Hal returned the following week; and, as Beverly improved steadily, the house was filled with company once more. Whenever Patience hinted that she was no longer required, Beverly immediately went to bed and rent the air; but as a matter of fact his attacks were growing less and less frequent. Patience, in the circumstances, was not impatient to return to work until the hot weather was over. Her position was very pleasant, Hal was ever her loyal friend, and she saw Morgan Steele once a week.