a sort of drawing-room pet since before he
stopped wearing knickerbockers.

"He is at his best in a drawing-room,"
said Jessica, "because there he deals with
theory and not with action. And he has
such beautiful theories that the women, who
are all idealists, adore him."

The next morning I awoke with a con-
viction that I had been idling too long. I
went back to the city and brushed the dust
from my desk. Then each morning, I, as
Jessica put it, "formed public opinion"
to the extent of one column a day in the
columns of a certain enterprising morning
journal.

Brainard said I had treated him shabbily
to leave upon the heels of his coming. But
a man who works for his bread and butter
must put a limit to his holiday. It is dif-
ferent when you only work to add to your
general picturesqueness. That is what I
wrote Leroy, and it was the unkindest thing
I ever said to him; and why I did it I do
not know to this day. I was glad, though,
when he failed to answer the letter. It gave
me a more reasonable excuse for feeling
out of patience with him.