The Window-Gazer

. It had rained all the day before. It was raining s

ertain to clear up in a day or two. "And then,"

doubted it. He

ing," his nurse went on. "Have

nking of

ded with the trial. Very cautiously he had drawn his lame leg up, and tenderly stretched it out. He had turned over and back again. He had wiggled his toes to see how many of them were present-only the littlest toe was still numb. He had realized that he was much better. If the improvemen

be able to walk in about three

am really sorry," he added, "that my presence is so distasteful to the doctor. I have been here alm

outside spell just now. He quite often does. Sometimes for weeks together he spends most of hi

ssor noticed, to state fa

"That is when he does most of his writing. He does some qu

articles?" a

ific. Science is very exact, isn't it? Father

no difficulty i

, heedless of the shock inflicted upon the professorial mind. "He knows

n he-he

calls it

irl, you can't

her

Such material loses all

es

of such moment, that Hamilton Spence writhed upon his couch. Here at l

not with him, neither was his audience. Attracted by some movement which he had

ked the baffled

think it

ame

p so you can see him. Look

rom behind the veranda post a most curious face was peeping-a round, s

laimed Spenc

ard to tell the difference. Father says it's a strain of the same

e rain, anyway. Why

fraid o

al-until one

t need to se

tive enough, surely

ut Sami won't c

eave the door op

ild thing outside stir in answer to the call. Sami came out from behind the post and stood listening, for all the world like an inquiring squirrel. The whistle sounded again, a plaintive, seeking sound, infinitely alluring. It seemed to draw the heart like a living thin

essor softly. "See, he

Farr when the shy, brown baby had been du

. I merely talked to h

where did you lea

uld have whistled back the dodo, I think. He knew all ki

great na

aded from Spence's fa

ve been," he

she did not ask, the professor felt an unaccustomed impulse. "He was a wonderful chap

asted-it's as it happens,"

overed his cheerfulness. "A sentiment not at al

extremel

n brother. He is becoming uneasy

peared through the door into the kitchen. Perhaps his ears were sharper than their

father," she explained briefly. The do

aid the old doctor mildly. "Who indeed c

for," replied his daughter coldly. "You

could an old fogey like

w. But I sho

n the sofa found himself disliking intensely the glance of the old man's pale

y, looking away. "It doesn't matter. I

she. And abruptly she w

rn. A bad fault in one so young. But," beaming benevolently upon his guest, "we must not troub

aid Spence. "I was able to change posi

patent. "Come, we should progress better th

prescribed by old Bones-I mean by my friend, Dr. Rogers.

exact feeling which caused the change was usually obscure, it seemed safest to ignore it altogether. He was growing quite expert at ignoring things. For, quite contrary to the usual

g. I believe I could work here. In fact, I have some notes with me which I may elaborate. I fancy that, as

he doctor's tone wa

ot object

is busy, very busy. I doubt if her dutie

d wish to offer her

ace seemed to sharpen. There was a growing

Dr. Farr regretfully, "I f

now, namely, that his host's desire to see the last of him was stronger even than his

ggested smoothly. "Since you have personally no obj

to her," promi

ce s

u have managed to keep so very intelligent a secretary in so restricted an en

re with this, but the pale e

man's voice was very gentle, almost caressing, and should certainly

d to her, perhaps," suggested S

th a certain travesty of dignity. "But I may say that I desire-that I will

oo much for him. Besides, though the most courteous of men, he deliberately wished to be insulting. He couldn't help it. There rose up in him, suddenly, a wil

r, who had been closely contemplating his umbrella, looked up slowly. The eyes of the two men met.... Spence had never seen eyes like that ... they

Ho opened the

, in his toneless drawl. "Like

back upon

he said. His voice soun

orbed in the contemplation