The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-30
SIX

HUI kSSHNE.
 The car drew up before large house on the upper avenue, one of those houses which advertise affluence with as little reti- cence as fat diamond solitaire:
 "We live here," sad Ruth, lau~h'no
 Do we? By George" he eaclaimed,-"I see it's gong to take inc qui.e a ~4,-.e ro get used to this sfate of things"
 A thought struck him. "Hox about the studio? Haxe you got rid of it e.: "Of course not. The ideal After the perfect times we had. there! We're going to keep it as an annex. Every now and then when we are tired of being rich, we'k creep off there and toil eggs ever the gas stove and pretend we are just ordinary persons again." And eftener than every now and then this particular plutocrat is going to creep off there. and try to teach himself to paint pictures"
 Ruth nodded. .'Yes. I think yon ought to Kirk said nothing. But it was. not as hobby that he was regarding his painting. He had come to a knowledge of realities in the wilderness and to, an appreciation of the fact that he had 8 soul which could not be kept alive except by honest work.
 By the way" said Ruth, ''you won't find George Pennicut at the studio. He has gone back to England.''
 "I'm sorry I like George'e "He liked you. He left all sorts of mes ssges. He nearly wept when he said good by. DAt HE WOuluH SUD- HI a >UuAcb VI confidence he told n.nswhat the trouble was. Our blue sky had got on his nerves: He wanted a London drizzfe again. He said the thought oi made him homesick."
 The first person whom he met m this great house, the kingdom or which he was to be king-consort, was butler of in- credible stateliness. This was none other than Steve's friend Keggs. But round the outlying portions of this official he had per ceived, as the door opened, q section Of woman in 8 brown dress.
 "You are thinner" she remarked.
 "I said that, Aunt Lora," said Ruth. "Poor boy, he's skeleton"
 You are not so robust
 "He's been ill.," Ruth interposed. "He's had fever, Aunt Lora, and you are not to tease him."
 "I should be the last person to tease any man. What sort of fever"
 "I think it was blend of all sorts," re- piled Kirk "A kind of Ir.sh stew of a fever"
 You are not infectious?"
 Certainly not"
 Mrs. Porter checked Ruth as she was about to speak. "We owe it to William to be careful she explained "After all the trouble we have taken to exclude him from germs it is only reasonable to make these inegries;" HGrnsa .,onn ao.n s.i, p,4, ~ons ,,u show you the house. Don't mind Aunt Lora," she whispered; "she means well, and
 
 Kirk followed her.
 Aunt Lora lives here now" observed Ruth casually. as they went upstairs.
 Kirk started.
 Literally ao you mean? Is this her home?"
 Ruth smiled at him over her shoulder. 'She won't interfere with you," she said. "Surely this great house is large enough for the three of us. Besides, she's so devoted to Bill. She looks after him all the time; of course, nowadays, 1 don't get quite so much chance to be with h4m myse f. One has an awful lot of calls on one feel Bill is so safe with Aunt Lora on the premises" She stepped at door on the first floor.
 This is Bills nursery. He's out just now. Mamie takes him for drive every morning when it's fine"
 Don't you ever take him for walks in the morning now?" he asked. "He used to love it."
 Silly! Of course do when can man. age it. For drives rather. Aunt Lora is rather against his walking much in the city. He might so easily catch something, you know"
 She opened the door.
 "Therew she said "What do you think of that for nursery?"
 If Kirk had spoken his mind he would have said that of all the ghastly nurseries the human brain could have conceived this was the ghastliest. It was a large, square