Mr. Achilles

ill that when Betty Harris, with her demure music-roll in her hand, tap

g until the hour was up and James returned. But to-day Miss Stone, too, was ill, James had departed with the carriage, and Betty Harris found herself s

han little Betty Harris, of Chicago. For her tiny sake, herds of cattle were slaughtered every day; and all over the land hoofs and hides and by-products

rincess should sit waiting for a servant-not even in marble halls. She glanced about her again. There was probably a telephone somewhere-perhaps on the ground floor. She could telephone home and they would send anoth

laughed as they ran. Betty skipped a few steps and laughed softly with them.... She would walk home. It was not far. She had often walked as far in the country, and she

pring in the air. And all day Athens had haunted his steps-the Athens of dreams. Once when he had retired into the dark, cool shop, h

ome people were her inferiors and must not be smiled at. She gave him the straight, sweet smile that those

ic, cultured, naive. He gave her the salute of his country. She smiled again. Then her eye fell on the tray of pomegranates ne

es-you like som

ragrant, spicy smell, and the man with the sad, kind face. Her quick eye paused-arrested by the word printed on a box on the shelf to the right.... Ah, that was it! She knew now quite well. He was a G

. "I can't quite mak

s face was alight

. I study it; but w

, it is-How you sa

him. A quick thought had come to her. "You have been in

he man turned about, waiting. If

Greek man. I've wanted to ask him something he would know about. Have y

es of Achilles Alexandra

solemnly. "You wish me-tell that?" It

long it is, and how wide, and what it is made of, and who began it, and who finished it, and who destro

d it near the open door. "Will it-

the music-roll, and lifting her eyes to th

, thinking a little. He sighed gently. "

enon, please," s

ns?" He said i

seem to make them understand. But when they say how beautif

ld the glory in its dept

the smile. A breath of wa

was rapt, and he spread his finger-tips a littl

hing touch-"but there-!" He flung the words from him like a chant of music, and a sky stretched about them from side to side, blue as sapphire and shedding radiant light upon the city in its midst-a city of fluted column and curving cornice and temple and arch and tom

y.... "The air, so clear-like wine-and the pillars straight and high and big-but light-light-reachin

ee," he said, kindly, "an

on't care so much about them. But all the rest-" She drew a quick br

silence in

She slipped from the chair with a little sigh. She stood looki

I will show you." He reached up to the box and took it

ed forward wit

looking into the box. "Ah, he has blo

ing to it. "It is beautiful," sh

of gold and tender blue, lifte

up. "May I touc

ut why

close to hers, watchi

put out a finger a

pened wide and rose-in th

cry of delight

nch of bananas and hung swaying. The gol

near and put

erfly wa

n tiptoe. A little smile curved her lips, quick and wondering, as the transf

hall I do with it?" It

eyes soug

rd it slowly, l

ildings the grey rim of sky lifted itself. The chi

ded gr

ittle "p-f-f"-it was half a

and rose again-high and higher, between the dar

rth. They looked at each other and smiled gra

ove quickly into the street. The little hand was lifted highe

as he turned the horses sharply to the right. They paused in front of t

y. The spirit of Athens dw

he quiet face and shining eyes. Gravely

d out a tiny hand. "I hope you

d Achilles, simply

pped a wa

e, J

riage till it was out of sight. Then he turned once more to the stall and rearranged the fruit. T