did; but unfortunately--"

"You threw yourself out of the window!" she is interrupted horrified.

Sam laughed. "Oh, well, I wasn't successful: I continued to live.
Unfortunately my trousers caught on the grape trellis under the
window, and there I hung! It must have been pretty funny--though I
didn't think so at the time. First place, I tore my wrist on a nail--
that's the scar; and then father caught me and sent me to bed for
being a fool; so I didn't gain anything." His lip drooped. His feeling
for his father was a candid mixture of amusement and contempt.

"But do you always act on the spur of the moment?" she said
astonished.

Sam laughed and said he supposed so. "I am a good deal of a fool," he
added simply.

"Well," she said sighing, "it's dangerous to be like that. I know,
because I--I am a good deal of a fool myself." Then again, abruptly,
she changed the subject. "What do you think? I'm going to have some
company!"

Sam frowned. "Your brother?"

"No, oh no; not--Mr. Pryor." Then she told him that Dr. Lavendar had
asked her if she would look after a little boy for him for a few
weeks.

Sam was not responsive. Little boys were a great deal of trouble, he