"I tried to prolong it, for you must remember that my aunt said that
she could not get me away; and this morning I was indiscreet enough to
welcome the rain, at which she reminded me of her rheumatism and your
father's wound."

"And at which I also hope you had a twinge or two of conscience.
Papa," she added, leading the way into the parlor, "here is Mr.
Graham. It was his fascinating talk about life in Germany that so
delayed me last evening."

The old gentleman started out of a doze, and his manner proved that he
welcomed any break in the monotony of the day. "You will pardon my not
rising," he said; "this confounded weather is playing the deuce with
my leg."

Graham was observant as he joined in a general condemnation of the
weather; and the manner in which Miss St. John rearranged the cushion
on which her father's foot rested, coaxed the fire into a more
cheerful blaze, and bestowed other little attentions, proved beyond a
doubt that all effort in behalf of the suffering veteran would be
appreciated. Nor was he so devoid of a kindly good-nature himself as
to anticipate an irksome task, and he did his utmost to discover the
best methods of entertaining his host. The effort soon became
remunerative, for the major had seen much of life, and enjoyed
reference to his experiences. Graham found that he could be induced to
fight his battles over again, but always with very modest allusion to
himself. In the course of their talk it also became evident that he
was a man of somewhat extensive reading, and the daily paper must have
been almost literally devoured to account for his acquaintance with