them; overturned waste paper basket; possibly a demolished chair, which absentmindedness had led to substitution for steps that were equally as convenient in ascending to top tiers of library shelves; small mountains of paper refuse; an occasional overturned ink well, all were simply evidences of total absorption in his tasks and indifference to all that was going on outside his fertile mind. All this was a daily scene and duty that presented itself to the wife of Orson.

They ate their morning meal quite alone and under very different conditions. He was in the single seat in front of the little table in the breakfast room at seven o'clock six mornings in the week with a machine like precision that admitted of no chance for the attending servant to win another wink or two of sleep. With his back to the big French windows, shades drawn and light streaming in, while eagerly devouring a newspaper he sipped two cups of strong coffee, dipped his toast in the Arabian beverage or possibly ate a softboiled egg, with a dash or two of marmalade adding a relish to the well browned staff of life. At about the time he started to use his finger bowl, and usually upset it, he remembered that he had overlooked his usual courtesy to his maid in waiting. Then it was that the first words he had spoken since the evening before come from him. "Good morning, Jane" was the salutation, as he hastily gathered up his filing portfolio. Then he rushed for the front door, got into a top coat while awkwardly descending the front steps, and walked briskly across the park to a downtown elevated car, only realizing later that he had laid aside his portfolio when taking the overcoat down, or, having thought to pick it up, discovered on the way to his office that the papers he had intended to be inserted therein were lying scattered about the room, where the information wanted by him had been assembled the night before.

Later, Norma arose for the day. after coffee and toast at her bedside, and went quietly down stairs to see just what requirements of her masterful, but dependent husband had been forgotten by him and would be necessary to his days work. If a scrvant or messenger boy had not already been sent by him, she dispatched one to the office with the documents, and gave directions for the rearrangement of the study into a livable condition, seemingly impossible when the "wrecking crew" started in.

Luncheon was rarely served at the Adamson home. No servants employed there remembered the master ever coming home on a week day for that meal. The "mis'es" was out quite as regularly. Where? No one even inquired. No explanation was ever given. The man who said, "half the world knows nothing of the doings of the other half" was more kind to the weaker sex than the writer who said, “a fact known to more than one woman becomes a rumor." Norma had her horses, which she rode and drove with striking correctness and a dash that never failed to elicit favorable comment. At the hunts in the neighboring haunts of the whip and spur contingent in Long Island, Westchester and Jersey, she was always pointed out as one of the sights by devotees who regarded her as "the correct thing'' on seat or saddle. In beauty and beast" she accented the first word with unfailing precision. With the living picture of artistic perfection Norma always presented, was an unfailing accompaniment-several most fascinating debutantes gleaned in the garden of social loveliness, where she was a nature-seeker and tiller of these fairest flowers. The purpose of this unusual part was attributed by those of her sex to be a shrewd blind or cover, misleading the unwary regarding her own years. The fact was, Norma required no accelerator or accomplice to emphasize her own personal charms. She

was youthful in appearance, beautiful to look upon, fascinating in speech, delightfully animated, and enough of a magnet to attract attention and command courtesy from gentlemen without a "runner up" on the links of ladyship. This did not alter the fact. At the horse show, in the park, up and down the Avenue, on bridle paths miles from the fashionable stable, where her thoroughbred steeds, smart traps and stylish vehicles were kept in perfect condition, her sweet, young charges were always in evidence. No one knew where the assortment of faultless young maidens was assembled, or from what unfathomed quarter, in proximity to the metropolis, they were summoned by the bugle call of Norma, goddess of beauty. Still they were her inseparable, confiding, dependable young attaches, too mature for cherubs, too lovely for material beings, Nature's most pleasing buds.

The automobile to her savored too much of commercialism. It depended too much on mechanical perfection and usurped the prerogatives of an animal almost human-more noble than many men, in the estimation of this woman of peculiar sentiments.

She had her touring car, town car and limousine. They were of the latest and most costly designs. Their use by her however was limited. The horse stirred her very soul; it animated her nature to drive; she was aglow with spirit and sentiment as her neatly gloved hand tightened upon the rein or gripped the bridle.

If there are female centaurs she became one for the time being and the feelings of the perfect and complete overcame her when she sat astride her favorite mount.

The morning Ephraim arrived in his uncle's office. he was treated just as courteously and made to feel as much at ease immediately as any caller of the age and the equal of Uncle Orson.

He understood well he was steering his crait of future opportunity into the head waters of the river of possibility. The Isle of Wealth loomed big near the outlet although a mental chart disclosed reefs, shoals and threatening rough places, dangerous if he proved a poor navigator. The voyage was to be long and tempestuous, although its passage suggested none of the commoplace incidents of material necessity such as concern most young men embarking on the craft of venture.

The heads of departments were finally called in and introduced to Ephraim, with no suggestion of his relationship to their principal. A statement was simply made to the effect that the young man would be associated for a time, at least, with the securities department of the office. No acquaintance with his new task was arranged for that day.

In a most interested way, indicative of genuine concern, Uncle Orson said to the nephew: "Ephraim, I much wish you to go to our home until some permanent arrangement is made along domestic lines for your pleasure and comfort. Your Aunt Norma is quite agreeable to this arrangement. We will go uptown together this afternoon at the close of business, although your hours when you assume the duties assigned you tomorrow need not, necessarily, begin earlier nor continue later than those defined to regulate the office force in this particular."

With this he paused. A look of keen inquiry was directed at the embryo business man. Ephraim in turn looked the other squarely in the eyes. They exchanged significant glances. Both understood. It was the first test of mental fusibility, determination and intent on the part of a shrewd and experienced reader of character, who applied the acid proof at the outset. In effect, the opportunity right then and there was afforded the boy to decide between defined lines of routine work or constructive, whole hearted, intelligent application.

At seven o'clock he arrived with his uncle at the home of the latter, the two having chatted freely on the "L" as they rode uptown. They simply followed out a precedent of years so far as Uncle Orson's transit practices were concerned. This excluded the more fashionable method of the down town professional gentleman. whose automobile, with driver and footman, awaited him at his office. It also precluded the more rapid conveyance of the subway. About forty years earlier, when the elevated railroad was regarded as a marvel of mechanical genius and was believed to be indefinitely adequate for the demands of local travel, Uncle Orson transferred to it his patronage from the surface lines of the then horse drawn cars. That ended his personal experience with public utilities. Notwithstanding his loyalty to the somewhat antiquated trains, he was fully familiar with the financial and mechanical construction and operating phases of all the subway, electrical, cable, motor, tubular and aerial transportation developments. This was necessitated by the legal understanding his position exacted of him.

Aunt Norma greeted both in the drawing room after a servant had admitted them at a signal from her, as she intuitively understood her husband's embarrassment at having left his latchkey on his office desk.