The Green Mouse

a Helping Hand When I

beg your pardon for disturbing you--" It was high time she admitted it, for her eyes

tion, she stepped inside with a hurried glance behind her, and walked to the cent

y under command. "If you please, would you tell me

d have cleared up that matter wit

e repeated gently,

her knees trembled a little; and she sat down with an appe

ed you?" inquired

hing animate was visible. "Sounds," she repeated, swallowing a little lump in her white throat, "like the faint squealing and squeaking and sniffing an

uired the young man, t

the eaves. Then one day when your door was open, and I was coming up the stairway, and it was dark in the entry, something big and soft flopped across the carpet, and--it bein

secure the escaped bird before her ele

, "and he came and we searched t

mpressed; she recognized th

not persuade him otherwise. For a week I scarcely dared set foot on the stair

lived here," he

es fun of me, and I suppose they'll laugh me out of it, but I detest co

possible significance of her unconventional situation

"but I was really driven out of my

ou out?" he a

for fear he will think me--queer." She raised her distressed and lovel

e it," he sa

gs like that, but"--she spoke piteously--"I had only one glass of claret at luncheon, and

here," he

nk so? A green--br

he assured her; "saw on

he

's probably a crack between your studio and my w

certainly: "Are there reall

this one was originally white.

uld be silly enough

red--he felt

kable mouse. I have decided to write to the owners of the house and request an

ing to write?" h

brings home things that escape, or the house is infested. I don't ca

t moment her blue eyes widened; she caught him convulsi

suing in creepy single file from the wainscoting, came mice--mice of various tints. A red one led the grewsome rank, a black and white one came next, then in decor

vance, hold out a white wand--saw the uncanny procession of mice mount the stick and for

heard him asking her pardon. Dazed, she laid her hand in his as he aided her to descend to t

owners. I've bribed the janitor to say nothing. I'm dreadf

mazement dominated her anger. "But w

asked. "It is my pro

on," he repe

s not true! You are a gentleman--

o a

m by name, al

you have investigated my record you must k

But you are a

bank in its original interpretation. There's n

stand you," she w

a laugh, "or rather, I hope to do a few--and be paid for them. I

; she lay back in the gr

ertaining some people at Seabright; and," he added with that very attractive smile of his from wh

ly comparative poverty--just as her cousins, for instance, had scarcely enough to keep more than two horses in town and only one motor. But want--actual need--she had never dreamed of

about green mice, why, I shall have to leave, and, as a matter of

she manag

ourse," he hastened to add, f

ll not write--now. I had rather my studio were overrun with multicolored mice--"

bout him, and when she heard of his recent ruin and withdrawal from the gatherings of his kind her youth flushed to its romantic roots, warming all within her toward this splendid and radiant young man who lived so nobly, so proudly aloof. And then--mira

able, uncertain career to keep his godlike body from actual starvation. And she--she with more money than even she knew what to do wi

's name? In Ophir Steel? Certainly; and was it not this young man's father who had l

ws now, because to-day I received my first encouragement; and no doubt I'll be a huge success. Only--I

anything--anything I can do to--to balanc

no debt-- except that I was happy--perfectly and serenely

tily. "You may make as light o

enchanted with the risi

as to show how deeply--deeply I felt. I felt it so deeply

sist

ed silent she said: "Do you not know w

his head,

o know; but, of course, I c

set a little thrill tingling her from head to foot. His restraint was the nicest homage ever rendered her; she

ber Sachariss

nly! I always

she said

t eyes and white skin and

ow; she leaned back in her

id, "people could

lied, laughing; "and fancy! I took you for

took you

y different th

ay--not i

ok the mo

m her chair. "As there are no more green mice to peep out at me from behind my

inquiry was scarcely a chall

id, "whether you coul

" she e

es

glad--tell m

people and do things. I've had practice here by myself, but--but if you

romised myself the damage was done long ago, wasn't it? They're going to tak

fully, linking her whit