As for Miss Hazel, accustomed as she was to the discriminating admiration of her fellow clerks, the sincerity and abandonment of this devotion was as incense to her flirtatious soul. Avid of admiration and experienced in most of the arts and wiles necessary to secure this from contiguous males, small wonder that the unsophisticated Larry became her easy prey long before she had brought to bear the full complement of her enginery of war. It was a happy afternoon for the boy, but when informed by his sisters of his mother's desire that he should return with them, he was resolute in his refusal, urging many reasons why it was impossible that he should leave the car and his comrades. There was nothing for it but to leave him there and report to his mother their failure. “I might have known,” she said. “He would never come to a stranger's house in his old clothes. I will just bring down his best suit after tea.” The dinner hour at Dr. Brown's was fully occupied with an animated recital of the adventures of the afternoon. Each member of the car party was described with an accuracy and fulness of detail that would have surprised him. “And you know, Papa,” said the little maid, “Tom just laughed at Larry because he could not play baseball and things, and I just told him that Larry could play the mouth organ lovely and the fiddle, and they laughed and laughed. I think they were laughing at me. Tom laughed loudest of all, and he's not so smart himself, and anyway Larry passed the entrance a year ago and I just told him so.” “Oh, did you,” said her father, “and how did Master Tom take that?” “He didn't laugh quite as much. I don't think I like him very much.” “Ah?” “But Hazel, she was just lovely to Larry. I think she's nice, Papa, and such lovely cheeks and hair.” Here Jane sighed. “Oh, has she? She is quite a grown-up young lady, is she not?” “She has her hair up, Papa. She's sixteen, you know.” “I remember you told me that she had reached that mature age.” “And I think Larry liked her, too.” “Ah? And why do you think so?” “He just looked at her, and looked, and looked.” “Well, that seems fairly good evidence.” “And he is coming up here to-night when we bring him his good clothes.” “Oh, you are to bring him his good clothes, are you?” “Yes, Mrs. Gwynne and I are taking them down in the carriage.” “Oh, in the carriage--Mrs. Gwynne--” “Yes, you know--Oh, here's Nora at the door. Excuse me, Papa. I am sure it is important.” She ran to the door and in a moment or two returned with a note. “It's for you, Papa, and I know it's about the carriage.” She watched her father somewhat anxiously as he read the note. “Umm-um. Very good, very nice and proper. Certainly. Just say to Mrs. Gwynne that we are very pleased to be able to serve her with the carriage, and that we hope Larry will do us the honour of coming to us.” Jane nodded delightedly. “I know, Papa. I told her that already. But I'll tell her this is the answer to the note.”