It was an experience full of danger to Peter. For the first time in his life he was seeing the really charming phases which a girl has at command. Attractive as these are to all men, they were trebly so to Peter, who had nothing to compare with them but the indifferent attitudes hitherto shown him by the maidens of his native town, and by the few Boston women who had been compelled to “endure” his society. If he had had more experience he would have merely thought Miss Pierce a girl with nice eyes, figure and manner. But as a single glass of wine is dangerous to the teetotaller, so this episode had an over-balancing influence on Peter, entirely out of proportion to its true value. Before the week was over he was seriously in love, and though his natural impassiveness and his entire lack of knowledge how to convey his feelings to Miss Pierce, prevented her from a suspicion of the fact, the more experienced father and mother were not so blind. “Really, Charles,” said Mrs. Pierce, in the privacy of their own room, “I think it ought to be stopped.” “Exactly, my dear,” replied her other half, with an apparent yielding to her views that amazed and rather frightened Mrs. Pierce, till he continued: “Beyond question _it_ should be stopped, since you say so. _It_ is neuter, and as neutral things are highly objectionable, stop _it_ by all means.” “I mean Mr. Stirling—” began Mrs. Pierce. “Yes?” interrupted Mr. Pierce, in an encouraging, inquiring tone. “Peter is certainly neuter. I think one might say negative, without gross exaggeration. Still, I should hardly stop him. He finds enough difficulty in getting out an occasional remark without putting a stopper in him. Perhaps, though, I mistake your meaning, and you want Peter merely to stop here a little longer.” “I mean, dear,” replied Mrs. Pierce, with something like a tear in her voice, for she was sadly wanting in a sense of humor, and her husband’s jokes always half frightened her, and invariably made her feel inferior to him, “I mean his spending so much time with Helen. I’m afraid he’ll fall in love with her.” “My dear,” said Mr. Pierce, “you really should be a professional mind-reader. Your suggestion comes as an awful revelation to me. Just supposing he should—aye—just supposing he has, fallen in love with Helen!” “I really think he has,” said Mrs. Pierce, “though he is so different from most men, that I am not sure.” “Then by all means we must stop him. By the way, how does one stop a man’s falling in love?” asked Mr. Pierce. “Charles!” said Mrs. Pierce. This remark of Mrs. Pierce’s generally meant a resort to a handkerchief, and Mr. Pierce did not care for any increase of atmospheric humidity just then. He therefore concluded that since his wit was taken seriously, he would try a bit of seriousness, as an antidote.