holding safely before his heart was being lowered under the bright
archery of Mary Burton's eyes.

At last he rose, and his chief said quietly, "Carl, I shall be an hour
late. Will you run down to the office and sit on the lid until I get
there?"

The secretary's brows went up. "You were to meet several of the
directors of the Inter-Ocean Coal and Ore at ten-fifteen," he reminded.

"Let them wait," retorted Burton placidly. "I'm usually punctual
enough."

"Ah!" exclaimed Mary with an adorable show of penitence, "and it is I
who am causing Monsieur Coal and Monsieur Ore to wait--I am so sorry!"

But, when Bristoll had gone and Hamilton had led the way into the
library, safe from the overhearing of the servants, the girl's manner
abruptly changed. She stood by the broad desk, resting her slender
fingers lightly on the mahogany top, and turned to her brother. Her
attitude was very straight and regal, and her voice, though still soft
and musical, had in it the quiet ring of defiance.

"So!" she said. "So, in my brother's house I come and go under orders?
So, I rise when he commands it and go to bed at his direction."

Hamilton Burton paused with his fingers on the knob of a wall-safe from
which he had meant to take a package that he had placed there as a gift
in celebration of her home-coming. It had pleased him, as he was shown
that rope of splendidly matched pearls in the establishment of the