He enjoyed every moment of it,--every little incident was a novel experience, and he was never tired of studying the different characters he met,--especially and above all the character of the woman whose house was, for the time being, his home, and who treated with him all the care and solicitude that a daughter might show to her father.

And--he was learning what might be called a trade or a craft,--which fact interested and amused him.

He who had moved the great wheel of many trades at a mere touch of his finger, was now docilely studying the art of basket-making, and training his unaccustomed hands to the bending of withes and osiers,--he whose deftly-laid financial schemes had held the money-markets of the world in suspense, was now patiently mastering the technical business of forming a "slath," and fathoming the mysteries of "scalluming." Like an obedient child at school he implicitly followed the instructions of his teacher, Mary, who with the first basket he completed went out and effected a sale as she said "for fourpence," though really for twopence.
"And good pay, too!" she said, cheerfully--"It's not often one gets so much for a first make." "That fourpence is yours," said Helmsley, smiling at her--"You've the right to all my earnings!" She looked serious.
"Would you like me to keep it ?" she asked--"I mean, would it please you if I did,--would you feel more content ?" "I should--you know I should!" he replied earnestly.
"All right, then! I'll check it off your account!" And laughing merrily, she patted his head as he sat bending over another specimen of his basket manufacture--"At any rate, you're not getting bald over your work, David! I never saw such beautiful white hair as yours!" He glanced up at her.
"May I say, in answer to that, that I never saw such beautiful brown hair as yours ?" She nodded.
"Oh, yes, you may say it, because I know it's true.

My hair is my one beauty,--see!" And pulling out two small curved combs, she let the whole wealth of her tresses unwind and fall.

Her hair dropped below her knees in a glorious mass of colour like that of a brown autumn leaf with the sun just glistening on it.