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much of a burden I might write。〃
〃No burden at all； Mr。 Wakeham；〃 said Mrs。 Gwynne。 〃If you will write and ask Mrs。 Wakeham； and bring her with you when you return； we shall do what we can to make her visit a happy one； and indeed； it may do the dear child a great deal of good。〃
Thus it came about that the little city child； delicate； fretted； spoiled； was installed in the household at Lakeside Farm for a visit which lengthened out far beyond its original limits。 The days spent upon the farm were full of bliss to her； the only drawback to the perfect happiness of the little girl being the separation from her beloved fidus Achates； with whom she maintained an epistolary activity extraordinarily intimate and vivid。 Upon this correspondence the Wakeham family came chiefly to depend for enlightenment as to the young lady's activities and state of health； and it came to be recognised as part of Larry's duty throughout the summer to carry a weekly bulletin regarding Elfie's health and manners to the Lake Shore summer home； where the Wakehams sought relief from the prostrating heat of the great city。 These week ends at the Lake Shore home were to Larry his sole and altogether delightful relief from the relentless drive of business that even throughout the hottest summer weather knew neither let nor pause。
It became custom that every Saturday forenoon Rowena's big car would call at the Rookery Building and carry off her father； if he chanced to be in town； and Larry to the Lake Shore home。 An hour's swift run over the perfect macadam of the Lake Shore road that wound through park and boulevard； past splendid summer residences of Chicago financial magnates； through quiet little villages and by country farms； always with gleams of Michigan's blue…grey waters； and always with Michigan's exhilarating breezes in their faces； would bring them to the cool depths of Birchwood's shades and silences； where for a time the hustle and heat and roar of the big city would be as completely forgotten as if a thousand miles away。 It was early on a breathless afternoon late in July when from pavement and wall the quivering air smote the face as if blown from an opened furnace that Rowena drove her car down La Salle Street and pulled up at the Rookery Building resolved to carry off with her as a special treat 〃her men〃 for an evening at Birchwood。
〃Come along； Larry； it is too hot to live in town today；〃 she said as she passed through the outer office where the young man had his desk。 〃I am just going in to get father； so don't keep me waiting。〃
〃Miss Wakeham； why will you add to the burdens of the day by breezing thus in upon us and making us discontented with our lot。 I cannot possibly accept your invitation this afternoon。〃
〃What？ Not to…day； with the thermometer at ninety…four？ Nonsense！〃 said the young lady brusquely。 〃You look fit to drop。〃
〃It is quite useless；〃 said Larry with a sigh。 〃You see we have a man in all the way from Colorado to get plans of a mine which is in process of reconstruction。 These plans will take hours to finish。 The work is pressing； in short must be done to…day。〃
〃Now； look here； young man。 All work in this office is pressing but none so pressing that it cannot pause at my command。〃
〃But this man is due to leave to…morrow。〃
〃Oh； I decline to talk about it； it is much too hot。 Just close up your desk；〃 said the young lady； as she swept on to her father's office。
In a short time she returned； bearing that gentleman in triumph with her。 〃Not ready？〃 she said。 〃Really you are most exasperating； Larry。〃
〃You may as well throw up your hands； Larry。 You'd better knock off for the day；〃 said Mr。 Wakeham。 〃It is really too hot to do anything else than surrender。〃
〃You see； it is like this； sir；〃 said Larry。 〃It is that Colorado mine reconstruction business。 Their manager； Dimock； is here。 He must leave； he says； tomorrow morning。 Mr。 Scread thinks he should get these off as soon as possible。 So it is necessary that I stick to it till we get it done。〃
〃How long will it take？〃 said Mr。 Wakeham。
〃I expect to finish to…night some time。 I have already had a couple of hours with Dimock to…day。 He has left me the data。〃
〃Well； I am very sorry； indeed；〃 said Mr。 Wakeham。 〃It is a great pity you cannot come with us； and you look rather fagged。 Dimock could not delay； eh？〃
〃He says he has an appointment at Kansas City which he must keep。〃
〃Oh； it is perfect rubbish；〃 exclaimed Rowena impatiently； 〃and we have a party on to…night。 Your friend； Mr。 Hugh Raeder； is to be out； and Professor Schaefer and a friend of his； and some perfectly charming girls。〃
〃But why tell me these things now； Miss Wakeham；〃 said Larry； 〃when you know it is impossible for me to come？〃
〃You won't come？〃
〃I can't come。〃
〃Come along then； father；〃 she said； and with a stiff little bow she left Larry at his desk。
Before the car moved off Larry came hurrying out。
〃Here is Elfie's letter；〃 he said。 〃Perhaps Mrs。 Wakeham would like to see it。〃 Miss Wakeham was busy at the wheel and gave no sign of having heard or seen。 So her father reached over and took the letter from him。
〃Do you know；〃 said Larry gravely； 〃I do not think it is quite so hot as it was。 I almost fancy I feel a chill。〃
〃A chill？〃 said Mr。 Wakeham anxiously。 〃What do you mean？〃
Miss Wakeham bit her lip； broke into a smile and then into a laugh。 〃Oh； he's a clever thing； he is；〃 she said。 〃I hope you may have a real good roast this afternoon。〃
〃I hope you will call next Saturday；〃 said Larry earnestly。 〃It is sure to be hot。〃
〃You don't deserve it or anything else that is good。〃
〃Except your pity。 Think what I am missing。〃
〃Get in out of the heat；〃 she cried as the car slipped away。
For some blocks Miss Wakeham was busy getting her car through the crush of the traffic； but as she swung into the Park Road she remarked； 〃That young man takes himself too seriously。 You would think the business belonged to him。〃
〃I wish to God I had more men in my office；〃 said her father； 〃who thought the same thing。 Do you know； young lady； why it is that so many greyheads are holding clerk's jobs？ Because clerks do not feel that the business is their own。 The careless among them are working for five o'clock； and the keen among them are out for number one。 Do you know if that boy keeps on thinking that the business is his he will own a big slice of it or something better before he quits。 I confess I was greatly pleased that you failed to move him。〃
〃All the same； he is awfully stubborn；〃 said his daughter。
〃You can't bully him as you do your old dad； eh？〃
〃I had counted on him for our dinner party to…night。 I particularly want to have him meet Professor Schaefer； and now we will have a girl too many。 It just throws things out。〃
They rolled on in silence for some time through the park when suddenly her father said； 〃He may be finished by six o'clock； and Michael could run in for him。〃
At six o'clock Miss Wakeham called Larry on the 'phone。 〃Are you still at it？〃 she enquired。 〃And when will you be finished？〃
〃An hour； I think； will see me through；〃 he replied。
〃Then；〃 said Miss Wakeham； 〃a little before seven o'clock the car will be waiting at your office door。〃
〃Hooray！〃 cried Larry。 〃You are an angel。 I will be through。〃
At a quarter of seven Larry was standing on the pavement； which was still radiating heat； and so absorbed in watching for the Wakehams' big car that he failed to notice a little Mercer approaching till it drew up at his side。
〃What； you； Miss Rowena？〃 he cried。 〃Your own self？ How very lovely of you； and through all this heat！〃
〃Me；〃 replied the girl； 〃only me。 I thought it might still be hot and a little cool breeze would be acceptable。 But jump in。〃
〃Cool breeze； I should say so！〃 exclaimed Larry。 〃A lovely； cool； sweet spring breeze over crocuses and violets！ But； I say； I must go to my room for my clothes。〃
〃No evening clothes to…night；〃 exclaimed Rowena。
〃Ah； but I have a new； lovely； cool suit that I have been hoping to display at Birchwood。 These old things would hardly do at your dinner table。〃
〃We'll go around for it。 Do get in。 Do you know； I left my party to come for you； partly because I was rather nasty this afternoon？〃
〃You were indeed；〃 said Larry。 〃You almost broke my heart； but this wipes all out； my heart is singing again。 That awfully jolly letter of Elfie's this week made me quite homesick for the open and for the breezes of the Alberta foothills。〃
〃Tell me what she said；〃 said Rowena； not because she wanted so much to hear Elfie's news but because she loved to hear him talk； and upon no subject could Larry wax so eloquent as upon the foothill country of Alberta。 Long after they had secured Larry's new suit and gone on their way through park and boulevard； Larry continued to expatiate upon the glories of Alberta hills and valleys； upon its cool breezes； its flowing rivers and limpid lakes； and always the western rampart of the eternal snow…clad peaks。
〃And how is the mine doing？〃 inquired Rowena； for Larry had fallen silent。
〃The mine？ Oh； there's trouble there； I am afraid。 Switzeryou hav