Page:Keeping the Peace.pdf/57

 voice: "Have you seen the doctor? Backs are serious."

Now backs are serious. And a young man cannot take unto himself any problem that is more serious. But in the hands of an able woman a twisted back is one of the most tremendous weapons in the world.

Edward soon perceived that when she wanted it to his sister's back hurt her and laid her down flat in the long chair with the cushions, and that when she didn't want it to hurt her it didn't. He perceived that it was an obstacle in the way of the things that she didn't want to do, but an obstacle which a little cheerful courage could always overcome in the case of things that she did want to do.

Bruce Armitage became a constant visitor at the rectory. He loved courage.

And he loved children, so that when he learned that Edward was to have a birthday party he announced that he proposed to be among those present, and upon the word present he laid a peculiar accent, and discovered a wink for Edward's benefit.

It was a wonderful present—a knife with a pearl handle and four blades. The knife itself was in a purse-like case of chamois. This was in a neat box of pasteboard, the box was wrapped in green paper held by an elastic, and this in turn was wrapped in a white paper tied with a red ribbon, and writ-