"Who are you, young lady?" he inquired with a jolly smile,--"are you

little Red-Riding Hood or the Princess Far Away, or perhaps the

Sleeping Beauty recently awakened?"

"I'm Athalie Greensleeve."

"Lady Greensleeves! I knew you were somebody quite as distinguished

as you are beautiful. Would you mind saying to Mr. Greensleeve that

there is much moaning on the bar, and that it will still continue

until he arrives to instil the stillness of the still--"

"What?"

"We merely want a drink, my child. Don't look so seriously and

distractingly pretty. I was joking, that's all. Please tell your

father how very thirsty we are."

As the child turned to obey, C. Bailey, Sr., put one big arm around her

shoulders: "I didn't mean to tease you on such short acquaintance," he

whispered. "Are you offended, little Lady Greensleeves?"

Athalie looked up at him in puzzled silence.

"Smile, just once, so I shall know I am forgiven," he said. "Will

you?"

The child smiled confusedly, caught the boy's eye, and smiled again,

most engagingly, at C. Bailey, Sr.'s, son.

"Oho!" exclaimed the senior Bailey laughingly and looking at his son,

"I'm forgiven for your sake, am I?"

"For heaven's sake, Clive," protested one of the gunners, "let the

little girl go and find her father. If I ever needed a drink it's

now!"

So Athalie went away to summon her father. She found him as she had

last noticed him, sitting asleep on the big leather office chair.

Ledlie, behind the desk, was still reading his soiled newspaper, which

he continued to do until Athalie cried out something in a frightened

voice. Then he laid aside his paper, blinked at her, got up leisurely

and shuffled over to where his partner was sitting dead on his leather

chair.

* * * * *

The duck-hunters left that night. One after another the four gentlemen

came over to speak to Athalie and to her sisters. There was some

confusion and crowding in the hallway, what with the doctor, the

undertaker's assistants, neighbours, and the New York duck-hunters.

Ledlie ventured to overcharge them on the bill. As nobody objected he

regretted his moderation. However, the taking off of Greensleeve

helped business in the bar where sooner or later everybody drifted.

When the four-seated livery wagon drove up to take the gunning party

to the train, the boy lingered behind the others and then hurried back

to where Athalie was standing, white-faced, tearless, staring at the

closed door of the room where they had taken her father.




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