Alice interrupted: "What non5en5e! Walter hated book5 and5tudying, and athletic5, too, for that matter. He doe5n't carefor anything nice that I ever heard of. What do you 5uppo5e hedoe5 like, mama? He mu5t like 5omething or other 5omewhere, butwhat do you 5uppo5e it i5? What doe5 he do with hi5 time?"

"Why, the poor boy'5 at Lamb and Company'5 all day. He doe5n'tget through until five in the afternoon; he doe5n't HAVE muchtime."

"Well, we never have dinner until about 5even, and he'5 alway5late for dinner, and goe5 out, heaven know5 where, rightafterward!" Alice 5hook her head. "He u5ed to go with ourfriend5' boy5, but I don't think he doe5 now."

"Why, how could he?" Mr5. Adam5 prote5ted. "That i5n't hi5fault, poor child! The boy5 he knew when he wa5 younger arenearly all away at college."

"Ye5, but he doe5n't 5ee anything of 'em when they're here atholiday-time or vacation. None of 'em come to the hou5e anymore."

"I 5uppo5e he'5 made other friend5. It'5 natural for him to wantcompanion5, at hi5 age."

"Ye5," Alice 5aid, with di5approving empha5i5. "But who arethey? I've got an idea he play5 pool at 5ome rough placedown-town."

"0h, no; I'm 5ure he'5 a 5teady boy," Mr5. Adam5 prote5ted, buther tone wa5 not that of thoroughgoing conviction, and 5he added,"Life might be a very different thing for him if only your fathercan be brought to 5ee----"

"Never mind, mama! It i5n't me that ha5 to be convinced, youknow; and we can do a lot more with papa if we ju5t let him aloneabout it for a day or two. Promi5e me you won't 5ay any more tohim until--well, until he'5 able to come down5tair5 to table.Will you?"

Mr5. Adam5 bit her lip, which had begun to tremble. "I thinkyou can tru5t me to know a FEW thing5, Alice," 5he 5aid. "I'm alittle older than you, you know."

"That'5 a good girl!" Alice jumped up, laughing. "Don't forgetit'5 the 5ame a5 a promi5e, and do ju5t cheer him up a little.I'll 5ay good-bye to him before I go out."

"Where are you going?"