Came the dun files of Krisheim’s home-bound cows.
—From The Pennsylvania Pilgrim.
AS Mrs. Levering, flanked by Louisa and the refreshments, moved toward them, Kate shifted the subject.
“Did you know I have been coaching the Croft boy?”
“No!” he was surprised. “He hasn’t said anything to me about it. Since when?”
“Practically all winter.”
“Well! well!” he ejaculated. “I thought that chap was coming up strong. You quite take the wind out of my sails. I had been giving myself all sorts of kudos over that case. And here it’s you, all the time. How did it happen?”
“He brought me over one of your letters,” she explained as she helped with sugar. “Your stenographer by-the-hour had mixed up an important direction. He disliked to ask you about it—you know how shy he is—so he put it to me. I puzzled it out; we became very well acquainted and began to hold regular irregular sessions together.... I enjoyed your letters immensely. Once, you took him to task about a stupid error which was really mine. He had a good laugh at me, I can tell you. Isn’t he a pathetic little fellow?”
“He’ll be a great thinker some day,” Blynn avowed. “You’ll be proud of your share in the making of him.”
Mrs. Levering was pleased to hear them discussing methods of pedagogy so intimately.