that everything must wait until his head is a little clearer. I am sorry
I disturbed him. I am afraid that the doctor will be very angry with
me."

Mr. Weiss' face, clean-shaven and lined, with his spectacled eyes and
thin, indrawn lips, was as expressionless as a face could be, but
Virginia heard him draw a quick little breath, and his very attitude
seemed to be the attitude of a man confronted with calamity.

"Miss Longworth," he said slowly, "this is very unfortunate."

"I am sorry," she answered.

"Will you sit down?" he said. "I have something to say to you."

She shook her head.

"I am afraid that I cannot stay now," she said. "I have so many things
to do, and so many notes to write."

His spectacled eyes looked right into hers.

"This," he said quietly, "is important. There are times, Miss Longworth,
when the junior in command of a great enterprise is faced with a crisis,
when he or she is forced to act upon their own responsibility. The
person who is great enough to rise to an occasion like this is the
person who wins and deserves success in life. You follow me, Miss
Longworth?"

"I suppose so," Virginia answered, a little doubtfully, although in her