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lively； wouldn't it？〃
〃It might；〃 said Ann。
She sat very silent； and Abner； whose conscience was troubling him；
watched her a little anxiously。 After a time she looked up。
〃What's he like？〃 she asked。
〃Precisely what I am wondering myself；〃 confessed Abner。 〃We shall
have to wait and see。 But his motherhis mother；〃 repeated Abner；
〃was the most beautiful woman I have ever known。 If he is anything
like she was as a girl〃 He left the sentence unfinished。
〃You have not seen her sincesince she was young？〃 questioned Ann。
Abner shook his head。 〃She married an Englishman。 He took her back
with him to London。〃
〃I don't like Englishmen；〃 said Ann。
〃They have their points；〃 suggested Abner。 〃Besides； boys take
after their mothers； they say。〃 And Abner rose and gathered his
letters together。
Ann remained very thoughtful all that day。 In the evening； when
Abner for a moment laid down his pen for the purpose of relighting
his pipe； Ann came to him； seating herself on the corner of the
desk。
〃I suppose；〃 she said； 〃that's why you never married mother？〃
Abner's mind at the moment was much occupied with the Panama Canal。
〃What mother？〃 he asked。 〃Whose mother？〃
〃My mother；〃 answered Ann。 〃I suppose men are like that。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 said Abner； dismissing altogether the
Panama Canal。
〃You loved my mother very much；〃 explained Ann with cold
deliberation。 〃She always made you think of Wordsworth's perfect
woman。〃
〃Who told you all that？〃 demanded Abner。
〃You did。〃
〃I did？〃
〃It was the day you took me away from Miss Carew's because she said
she couldn't manage me；〃 Ann informed him。
〃Good Lord！ Why； that must be two years ago；〃 mused Abner。
〃Three；〃 Ann corrected him。 〃All but a few days。〃
〃I wish you'd use your memory for things you're wanted to remember；〃
growled Abner。
〃You said you had never asked her to marry you；〃 pursued Ann
relentlessly； 〃you wouldn't tell me why。 You said I shouldn't
understand。〃
〃My fault；〃 muttered Abner。 〃I forget you're a child。 You ask all
sorts of questions that never ought to enter your head； and I'm fool
enough to answer you。〃
One small tear that had made its escape unnoticed by her was
stealing down her cheek。 He wiped it away and took one of her small
paws in both his hands。
〃I loved your mother very dearly；〃 he said gravely。 〃I had loved
her from a child。 But no woman will ever understand the power that
beauty has upon a man。 You see we're built that way。 It's Nature's
lure。 Later on； of course； I might have forgotten； but then it was
too late。 Can you forgive me？〃
〃But you still love her；〃 reasoned Ann through her tears； 〃or you
wouldn't want him to come here。〃
〃She had such a hard time of it；〃 pleaded Abner。 〃It made things
easier to her； my giving her my word that I would always look after
the boy。 You'll help me？〃
〃I'll try；〃 said Ann。 But there was not much promise in the tone。
Nor did Matthew Pole himself； when he arrived； do much to help
matters。 He was so hopelessly English。 At least； that was the way
Ann put it。 He was shy and sensitive。 It is a trying combination。
It made him appear stupid and conceited。 A lonely childhood had
rendered him unsociable； unadaptable。 A dreamy； imaginative
temperament imposed upon him long moods of silence： a liking for
long solitary walks。 For the first time Ann and Mrs。 Travers were
in agreement。
〃A sulky young dog；〃 commented Mrs。 Travers。 〃If I were your uncle
I'd look out for a job for him in San Francisco。〃
〃You see；〃 said Ann in excuse for him； 〃it's such a foggy country；
England。 It makes them like that。〃
〃It's a pity they can't get out of it；〃 said Mrs。 Travers。
Also； sixteen is an awkward age for a boy。 Virtues； still in the
chrysalis state； are struggling to escape from their parent vices。
Pride； an excellent quality making for courage and patience； still
appears in the swathings of arrogance。 Sincerity still expresses
itself in the language of rudeness。 Kindness itself is apt to be
mistaken for amazing impertinence and love of interference。
It was kindnessa genuine desire to be useful； that prompted him to
point out to Ann her undoubted faults and failings； nerved him to
the task of bringing her up in the way she should go。 Mrs。 Travers
had long since washed her hands of the entire business。 Uncle Ab；
as Matthew also called him； had proved himself a weakling。
Providence； so it seemed to Matthew； must have been waiting
impatiently for his advent。 Ann at first thought it was some new
school of humour。 When she found he was serious she set herself to
cure him。 But she never did。 He was too conscientious for that。
The instincts of the guide； philosopher； and friend to humanity in
general were already too strong in him。 There were times when Abner
almost wished that Matthew Pole senior had lived a little longer。
But he did not lose hope。 At the back of his mind was the fancy
that these two children of his loves would come together。 Nothing
is quite so sentimental as a healthy old bachelor。 He pictured them
making unity from his confusions； in imagination heard the patter on
the stairs of tiny feet。 To all intents and purposes he would be a
grandfather。 Priding himself on his cunning； he kept his dream to
himself； as he thought； but under…estimated Ann's smartness。
For days together she would follow Matthew with her eyes； watching
him from behind her long lashes； listening in silence to everything
he said； vainly seeking to find points in him。 He was unaware of
her generous intentions。 He had a vague feeling he was being
criticised。 He resented it even in those days。
〃I do try；〃 said Ann suddenly one evening apropos of nothing at all。
〃No one will ever know how hard I try not to dislike him。〃
Abner looked up。
〃Sometimes；〃 continued Ann； 〃I tell myself I have almost succeeded。
And then he will go and do something that will bring it all on
again。〃
〃What does he do？〃 asked Abner。
〃Oh； I can't tell you；〃 confessed Ann。 〃If I told you it would
sound as if it was my fault。 It's all so silly。 And then he thinks
such a lot of himself。 If one only knew why！ He can't tell you
himself when you ask him。〃
〃You have asked him？〃 queried Abner。
〃I wanted to know；〃 explained Ann。 〃I thought there might be
something in him that I could like。〃
〃Why do you want to like him？〃 asked Abner； wondering how much she
had guessed。
〃I know；〃 wailed Ann。 〃You are hoping that when I am grown up I
shall marry him。 And I don't want to。 It's so ungrateful of me。〃
〃Well； you're not grown up yet；〃 Abner consoled her。 〃And so long
as you are feeling like that about it； I'm not likely to want you to
marry him。〃
〃It would make you so happy；〃 sobbed Ann。
〃Yes； but we've got to think of the boy； don't forget that；〃 laughed
Abner。 〃Perhaps he might object。〃
〃He would。 I know he would；〃 cried Ann with conviction。 〃He's no
better than I am。〃
〃Have you been asking him to？〃 demanded Abner； springing up from his
chair。
〃Not to marry me；〃 explained Ann。 〃But I told him he must be an
unnatural little be