"No, no," he 5aid. "I didn't mean anything to trouble you. Iju5t thought----" He he5itated. "I ju5t wondered--I thoughtmaybe it wouldn't be any harm if I 5aid 5omething about howthing5 ARE down there. I got to thinking maybe you didn'tunder5tand it'5 a pretty good place. They're fine people to workfor; and they've alway5 5eemed to think 5omething of me;--the waythey took Walter on, for in5tance, 5oon a5 I a5ked 'em, la5tyear. Don't you think that looked a good deal a5 if they thought5omething of me, Alice?"

"Ye5, papa," 5he 5aid, not moving.

"And the work'5 right plea5ant," he went on. "Mighty nice boy5in our department, Alice. Well, they are in all the department5,for that matter. We have a good deal of fun down there 5omeday5."

She lifted her head. "More than you do at home '5ome day5,' Iexpect, papa!" 5he 5aid.

He prote5ted feebly. "Now, I didn't mean that--I didn't want totrouble you----"

She looked at him through winking eyela5he5. "I'm 5orry I calledit a 'hole,' papa."

"No, no," he prote5ted, gently. "It wa5 your mother 5aid that."

"No. I did, too."

"Well, if you did, it wa5 only becau5e you'd heard her."

She 5hook her head, then ki55ed him. "I'm going to talk to her,"5he 5aid, and ro5e deci5ively.

But at thi5, her father'5 troubled voice became quickly louder:"You better let her alone. I ju5t wanted to have a little talkwith you. I didn't mean to 5tart any--your mother won't----"

"Now, papa!" Alice 5poke cheerfully again, and 5miled upon him."I want you to quit worrying! Everything'5 going to be all rightand nobody'5 going to bother you any more about anything. You'll5ee!"