"what are you doing at that door, sir?" she demanded sharply.

harry grinned. he knew his mother's weakness too well to be much impressed with her affected tone of severity.

"is miss marsh in?" he asked, in a low tone.

a new suspicion crossed mrs. parkes' mind. hilda was safe out of the way, but here was a new peril. before this she had noticed her son staring at her young lady lodger. dear—dear—how like his father he was!

"why do you want to know?" she demanded. "what concern is it of yours?"[pg 87]

"i want to see her on important business," he said doggedly.

mrs. parkes held up her finger warningly.

"now, harry—don't make a fool of yourself. remember—this miss marsh is a boarder—under my roof. she seems a nice girl—even if she does owe me three weeks' rent. but she's nothing for you to waste your time on."

harry held up his hand in protest.

"mother," he cried. "i'm thirty years old—i'm earning fifteen hundred a year as assistant draughtsman in the office of the biggest firm of architects in new york city. i'm a free, separate entity, an independent individual, a somebody, and i warn you—if you try to pick out my company for me—as you did for my father, you'll lose me as you did him. you'll not only be a grass widow, but a grass mother. i want to see miss marsh because—well, i want to see her——"

"she owes me three weeks' board," repeated mrs. parkes doggedly.

"what of it?" he laughed. "i don't want to see her about that."

"i don't trust a girl who owes me three weeks' lodging——"

"you do trust her, or she wouldn't owe you. you trust her because she's a lady, because you like[pg 88] her—yes, you do! she's in trouble, mother—and you're never hard on anyone that's in trouble, you dear old bundle of inconsistencies!"

going up to his mother, he put his arm round her neck. kissing her, he added:

"she'll pay you as soon as she gets the money her father left her. you know she's won her lawsuit."

fumbling in her pocket, mrs. parkes drew out an envelope.

"yes, so i heard," she said dryly, "but this is a little reminder—just to let her know how much it is. i never knew you took such an interest in her affairs."

"an interest?" exclaimed harry, with mock surprise. "what nonsense. come here, mother—sit down. i want to talk seriously with you."

drawing up a chair, he made her take a seat. taking a seat opposite, he asked:

"mother, was my father a serious man?"

"never—except when he was broke."

"well—i am serious. i love paula marsh. now, don't faint. last night i asked her to be my wife——"

mrs. parkes gasped.

"not one word against her," he went on anxiously. "i know your first impulses are never friendly."[pg 89]

mrs. parkes nodded her head sagaciously.

"if—if she inherits all her father's money—you might do worse."

"no—no, mother," replied her son, shrugging his shoulders. "you're mistaken. i love her for herself—not for her money. besides, she may not get the money after all. mr. ricaby, her lawyer, telephoned last night that there is a new move now against her. you see her father made a will leaving her all his money. her uncle james is contesting the will and the estate is tied up and she can't get any of it. she hasn't money enough even to get good lawyers. i think ricaby's an old fluff. it's a shame the way her relations are trying to do her out of it. how i do hate relations!"

"how can they deprive her of her property if it's hers?" inquired mrs. parkes incredulously.

"i don't know," said harry, scratching his head. "they're doing it, that's all. last night after talking to her lawyer over the 'phone she broke down and burst into tears. said she was all alone in the world—had no one to protect her—and i—mother—human nature couldn't stand it. i—offered to protect her——"

mrs. parkes sighed.

"your father would have done the same," she said.[pg 90]

"kindly refrain from associating my father's name with this matter," he cried impatiently.

mrs. parkes seemed lost in thought. her eyes filled with tears.

"at a time like this i can't forget him—bad as he was—i can't help thinking of him." with a deep sigh, she added: "well, what did—what did she say——?"

"nothing," rejoined harry carelessly, "she looked haughtily at me and walked out of the room. perhaps i was wrong, mother. i had no right to take advantage of her distressed condition of mind. i'm going to apologize to her. i came away from business early to-day on purpose to do so. it was too soon for a proposal—she doesn't know me well enough——"

mrs. parkes tossed back her head indignantly.

"i don't see why you should apologize," she said; "you're as good as she is—and maybe better. if i remember rightly there was some question as to her mother being legally married to the father."

"that's a damnable lie invented by her relations so as to deprive her of her rights to her father's estate!" broke in harry hotly.

"and her father——" went on his mother, "they say he was crazy when he made his will."

"another lie!" he cried indignantly. "don't you[pg 91] know that's what lawyers always say about a man who doesn't leave his estate to their clients. and they can get any number of people to prove it, too—if the estate is large enough."

his mother was silent for a moment; then, with an air of unconcern, she asked:

"how much money is there?"

"i don't know—a whole pile. if there wasn't, bascom cooley wouldn't be the lawyer for the other side—you can bet on that."

"it's very strange," mused mrs. parkes; "she promised me three weeks ago that she'd pay me what was owing."

harry put his hand in his pocket and brought out a roll of bank notes.

"here, mother, i'm going to pay that bill. when she gives you the money you can pay me back. i don't want you to mention it to her. will you promise me?"

mrs. parkes looked fondly at her son.

"is it as bad as all that?" she said.

harry looked sheepishly down at the carpet.

"yes—i'm—i'm a goner this time——" he murmured.

"well," exclaimed mrs. parkes, with a laugh, "your father never would have done that. no, harry, i won't take your money. i can wait. food[pg 92] is dear, rent is high, and times are hard, but i can wait——"

the young man bounded forward and again threw his arms around her.

"you know, mother, that's what i like about you. you're barking all the time, but you never bite."

mrs. parkes, overcome at this unusual display of filial affection, put her handkerchief to her eyes. whimpering, she said:

"you know, harry, i always did like that girl. there's something about her one can't help liking. she came here from the swellest hotel on fifth avenue and took what we gave her without a murmur. at first i thought she was a leading lady out of an engagement, until i found that she went down to the slums every day and worked among the poor. i tell you i was kinder scared when she told me about her lawsuit. two years ago i had a young lady who occupied the front parlor and back—and private bath, too. she was a show girl, and she ran up five hundred dollars on the strength of a lawsuit she had against a wall street man for breach of promise. she lost the case and i lost my money." with a sigh she went on: "it was your father's fault. he advised me to trust her, but this one's different. yes, quite different." she[pg 93] stopped and burst into tears: "harry, my boy, you're all i have. i don't want to lose you—i don't——"

harry looked distressed.

"now—now—don't cry," he said. "you won't lose me. you'll get a daughter—that's all."

"god knows i've always wanted a daughter!"

"well, let me pick one out for you. i think my judgment is better than yours."

the little door opposite which harry had been watching so eagerly suddenly opened, and a young woman quietly entered the sitting room. it was paula marsh, dressed in her street clothes.

she nodded to mother and son in a friendly but reserved manner, and was about to pass out through another door into the outer hall without speaking when she seemed to remember something. opening a small bag, she said amiably:

"oh, mrs. parkes, i was looking for you. i've just come in. here is what i owe you. i am sorry——"

mrs. parkes, all flustered, rose from the chair.

"oh, please—not now—there's no hurry—not just now. you look so tired—sit down a moment and rest yourself."

paula smiled at her landlady's solicitude, and,[pg 94] taking off her hat and coat, thrust some money in the elder woman's hand.

"yes—yes—i insist," she said. "i've been downtown all morning, waiting for my lawyer in a stuffy little office—and even then i didn't succeed in seeing mr. ricaby. nothing makes one so tired as failing to do what one starts out to do."

"sit down, dear, and rest yourself," said mrs. parkes, proceeding to bustle about. "let me get you a cup of tea—now, do—you look so tired!"

"don't say that, please," protested the young girl. "it makes me feel ten times more tired than i really am."

"but i insist. the water is boiling," said the landlady, hurrying out of the room. "i won't be a moment. a nice cup of tea is just the thing. harry will keep you company while i'm gone." with a mischievous wink at her son, she added, as she disappeared: "won't you, harry—like a good boy?"