“So’d mine,” Elsie added. “What did you do, Laurence?” Daisy asked. “Well——” said Laurence. “They’re gone down that alley.” “Come on in,” Daisy said eagerly. “We’re goin’ to play I-Spy. It’s lots more fun with three. Come on!” “Come on!” Elsie echoed. “Hurry, Laurence.” He went in, and a moment later, unconcernedly and without a care in the world, or the recollection of any, began to play I-Spy with the lady of his heart and her next neighbour. THE ONLY CHILD THE little boy was afraid to go into the dark room on the other side of the hall, and the little boy’s father was disgusted with him. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, Ludlum Thomas?” the father called from his seat by the library lamp. “Eight years old and scared! Scared to step into a room and turn the light on! Why, when I was your age I used to go out to the barn after dark in the winter-time, and up into the loft, all by myself, and pitch hay down to the horse through the chute. You walk straight into that dining-room, turn on the light, and get what you want; and don’t let’s have any more fuss about it. You hear me?” Ludlum disregarded this speech. “Mamma,” he called, plaintively, “I want you to come and turn the light on for me. _Please_, mamma!” Mrs. Thomas, across the library table from her husband, looked troubled, and would have replied, but the head of the house checked her. “Now let me,” he said. Then he called again: “You going in there and do what I say, or not?” “Please come on, mamma,” Ludlum begged. “Mamma, I lef’ my bow-an’-arry in the dining-room, an’ I want to get it out o’ there so’s I can take it up to bed with me. Mamma, won’t you please come turn the light on for me?” “No, she will not!” Mr. Thomas shouted. “What on earth are you afraid of?” “Mamma——” “Stop calling your mother! She’s not coming. You were sitting in the dining-room yourself, not more than an hour ago, at dinner, and you weren’t afraid then, were you?” Ludlum appeared between the brown curtains of the library doorway—the sketch of a rather pale child-prince in black velvet. “No, but——” he said. “But what?” “It was all light in there then. Mamma an’ you were in there, too.” “Now look here!” Mr. Thomas paused, rested his book upon his knee, and spoke slowly. “You know there’s nothing in that dining-room except the table and the chairs and the sideboard, don’t you?” Ludlum’s eyes were not upon his father but upon the graceful figure at the other side of the table. “Mamma,” he said, “won’t you _please_ come get my bow-an’-arry for me?” “Did you hear what I said?” “Yes, sir,” the boy replied, with eyes still pleadingly upon his mother. “Well, then, what is there to be afraid of?” “I’m not afraid,” said Ludlum. “It’s dark in there.” “It won’t be dark if you turn on the light, will it?” “Mamma——” “Now, that’s enough!” the father interrupted testily. “It’s after eight. You go on up to bed.”