confidence; walked them up and down in the
moonlight, telling them what a mistake he
had made by not entering the office branch
of the service, and how much better fitted he
was to fill the post of General Passenger
Agent in Denver than the roughshod man
who then bore that title. His unappreciated
worth was the tender secret Larry shared
with his sweethearts, and he was always able
to make some foolish heart ache over it.

As I drew near home that morning, I saw
Mrs. Harling out in her yard, digging round
her mountain-ash tree. It was a dry summer,
and she had now no boy to help her. Charley
was off in his battleship, cruising somewhere
on the Caribbean sea. I turned in at the gate
-- it was with a feeling of pleasure that I
opened and shut that gate in those days; I
liked the feel of it under my hand. I took
the spade away from Mrs. Harling, and while
I loosened the earth around the tree, she sat
down on the steps and talked about the oriole
family that had a nest in its branches.

"Mrs. Harling," I said presently, "I wish
I could find out exactly how Antonia's mar-
riage fell through."

"Why don't you go out and see your grand-

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v?