The Coming of Bill

wn o

om the garage and seated herself at the wheel. It was her habit to refresh her mind and

happens only too often that the uplifter of the public mind is baulked by a disinclination on the part of the public mind to meet him or her half-way. The uplifter doe

-natal influence. She put most things down to that. She blamed nearly all the defects of the modern world, from weak intellects to in-growing toe-nails, on long-dead ladies and gentlemen who, safe in the family vault, imagined that they had establish

ublished works dealt with this subject. A careful perusal of them would have enabled the rising generation to select its ideal wife or husband with perfect ease, and, in the event of Heaven

as she sometimes told herself in her rare moods of discouragement, was her niece, Ruth Bannister, daughter of John Bannister, the millionaire. It was not so long ago, she reflected with pride, that she had induced Ruth to refuse to

. It was her success that first showed her how great that influence was. She had come now to look on Ruth's destiny as something for which she was personally responsible-a fact which was noted and resente

a sort of perambulating yellow peril, and the fact that she of

*

preferring to zigzag about New York, livening up the great city at random. She always drove herself and, having, l

some atavistic tendency. One of her ancestors may have been a Roman charioteer or a coach-racing maniac of the Regency days. At any rate, after a hard morning's work on her new book she felt that her mind needed cooling, and found that the rush of air against her face effected this satisf

ut. And George, pawn of fate, was even now w

me, but not long enough to accustom his rather unreceptive mind to the fact that, whereas in his native land vehicles kept to the left, in the country of his ado

egard to such a man is

hat it should be L

onscious of a glow of benevolence toward her species, not excluding even the young couple she had almost reduced to mincemeat in the neighbourhood of Ninety-Se

y wagon. She followed it slowly for a while; then, growing tired of being merel

had just stepped off the kerb. He received the automobile in the small of the back, uttered a

r to fervid speech, George Pennicut contented him

ing-gum in their excitement. One, a devout believer in the inscrutable ways of Providence, told a friend as he ran

tcheon. She was incensed with this idiot who had flung himself before her car, not reflecting in her heat that he probably had a pre-natal

form. For this remarkable woman was as competent at first aid as a

o liability whatever. I did not run into you. You ran into me. I

riminatory speech which, his mind having recovered to some extent from the first shock of the meeting, he had int

citizens

re exceedingly fortunate. You have a few bruises, and one knee is slightly

said Geor

he

stud

. 9

ge's voice was tha

ou an

I'm Mr. Winf

ho

field's,

he

, ma

ng and wants to know why you're lying there, mi

, ma

ll. Don'

ma'

which was a card hearing the name of "Kirk W

Somebody came at a leisurely pace down the p

e of the opposite sex. She had well-defined views upon man. Yet, in the interval which elapsed b

handsome. He had a rather boyish face, pleasant eyes set wide apart, and a friendly mouth.

agnificent fitness, that for the moment overcame Mrs. Porter. Physi

emed to him to be looking as if she had caught him in the act of endeavouring to

ectation of seeing a ginger-haired, bow-legged, grinning George Pennicut, is confronted by a masterful woman with ey

. It was ever her way to come

irk Wi

es

t New York in an absent-minded way, as if he were on a desert island? The m

s like Geor

e. It did not interest me. My name is Mrs. Lora Delane P

your

eet when this weak-minded person flung himself in front of

he h

ve examined him. His left knee a

hand over his left fo

und Mrs. Porter a

, was causing a granite-faced policeman to think that the age of miracles had returned by informing

leg, sir," he a

You have wrenched your knee very slightly. Have you expl

, ma

. Always spea

, ma

d will help

you,

rned t

Mr. Wi

tim, gripped him, and

observed one int

" agreed another

r severely. "The man is hardly hurt at

speaker stern

" he mumbled

ch makes the New York constabulary what it is

" he

er gaze upon him, he

your

I've me report to mak

n informed. The man r

ut

not cha

d and fol

iceman's voice was n

ings by dispersing the crowd with well-directed prods of his locust stick. A small boy who lingered, squeezing the automobile's hooter, in

seem exceedingly muscular, Mr. Winfield. I noticed that you carried him without an effort.

protested George. "When I was in the

ave allowed yourself to deteriora

le irradiated

very kind of you, ma'a

ter, turning abruptly to Kirk. "I ask him if he att

suggested Kirk. "As a matter of fact, a little bra

. The worst th

eorge," said Kirk. "Well, I g

unnec

your

e is practically nothing the matter with the man. Put h

doctor, M

tudied fi

t mind, I should like to ha

er stared haughtily at Kirk. He

lease," s

ks with George. I couldn't afford to lose him. There

to the t

ction of his physique. She appraised his voice as he spoke to the doctor. It ga

re she approved of it. She decided to put a few questions to him. She had a habit of questioning people, and it never occu

Winfi

es

to ask you a

an delig

do," h

r scanned

hy man, to all appearances. Have

asl

ater

pleasant

ing e

um

mpor

looked like

des? No serio

on

is you

nty-

r parent

N

they h

as fi

r grandp

ndred or something like that spanking me for breaking his pipe. I thou

elle

Kirk casually, "m

serious illness in your family a

records, if you like;

o? As far as you are aware,

d you're

ou mar

Lord

t physique and remarkable record of health, it i

n worrying much about

sorption in the present, their utter lack of a sense of duty wit

I read very

ed for implanting a sense of personal duty to

crackerjack.

ll send you my 'Principles of Selection' and '

ill. Thank yo

rter, switching the con

d better put th

r, to which he was destined to adhere o

r," he whispered as

I have ever met. Already I love her like a son. But how she escape

e of the gallery before coming downstairs Kirk perceived his visitor engaged in a tour of the studio. At that moment

it with his pictures to start out in a vague spirit of adventure and receive their labe

resent the fact that Mrs. Porter was standing a great

ack a little," he su

rter lo

you are!"

am," agreed

his y

t

paint

d

eak," said Mrs. Porter. For this wonderful woman was as competent at art

ll it studying. I'm afraid

You are giving me a

orter still regarding the maste

"the drawing is

ll it have not said that in so many words, but they've all begged me with

a living on the sal

e only artist in captivit

rge i

church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve. Al

on

on

on

have sai

ld. I det

," sai

y the arrival of the doctor, a cheerful little old man with the b

I couldn't come sooner. I w

the studio he had not perceived her. "Mr. Winfield's servant has injured his knee very sup

oked from one

in other hand

You'll find George in bed, first floor on the left upstairs, and a very remarkable sight he is. He is weari

*

cent freedom from human weakness that marked every aspect of her life, sh

what s

of the brake cannot be good for the tyres. Out of evil, however, came good, for I have made the acquaintance of his employer, a Mr. Winfield, an artist. Mr. Winfield is a man of remarkable physique. I questioned him narrowly, and h