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 of the car. An hour went by and the boy returned.

"I left my magazine," he announced. But having recovered it he lingered and, finding encouragement in Wade's smile, seated himself again.

"It's all right about the Christmas tree," he announced. "I told Prue and she said I could invite you if I wanted to. Aunt Mildred wanted to know who you were, though. Would you mind telling me, sir? It doesn't make any difference to me, of course, but Aunt Mildred is sort of fussy and old-maidish."

"My name," laughed Wade, "is Forbes, Wade Forbes."

"Forbes," repeated the boy, memorizing. "Thank you. I'll tell her."

"She may want to know more than that, though, so you can tell her that I am a mining man, come of a respectable Northern New York family, reside at present in Colorado and am on a vacation."

"I told her about your being a St. Mark's