bench as they passed, and shook hands with his
guest on the doorstep.

When the door had closed upon Mr. Ware, the
priest turned to the man. "You have come about
those frames," he said. "If you will come upstairs,
show you the prints, and you can give me a
notion of what can be done with them. I rather
fancy the idea of a triptych in carved old English,
if you can manage it."

After the workman had gone away, Father Forbes
put on slippers and an old loose soutane, lighted a
cigar, and, pushing an easy-chair over to the reading
lamp, sat down with a book. Then something
occurred to him, and he touched the house-bell
at his elbow.

" Maggie," he said gently, when the housekeeper
appeared at the door, "I will have the coffee and
fine champagne up here, if it is no trouble. And --
oh, Maggie -- I was compelled this evening to turn
the blameless visit of the framemaker into a venial
sin, and that involves a needless wear and tear of
cointience. I think that -- hereafter -- you under-
stand? -- I am not invariably at home when the
Rev. Mr. Ware does me the honor to call."

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