Anna Chapin Ray

“ You've always said you liked Sir George, in spite of his queerness. He's been good to you, to us all. Now, for a while, you can be good to him. And, besides, if you truthfully don't like it, you can always take the first steamer that sails for home. Only," her voice broke a little; "only send us word in time, so we can get the fattest calf that ever lived."
"But you and mother," Ronald urged.
Janet's chin rose in the air.
"I will look out for mother," she said conclusively. And she kept her word.
Nevertheless, the tide of argument rose again, and again it ebbed. ”

“ CHAPTER TWENTY THREE weeks later, as Ronald came up from the office for the Saturday half-holiday, an unwonted mood of buoyancy lay upon him, making even the rivulets in the streets, sloppy with the first spring thaw, matters of small account. ”

“ Ronald dropped down again into his chair.
"Don't worry, Sir George," he said kindly. "Of course, I know at first there'll be a lot of care and responsibility. But it will get itself to running easily enough in time."
Sir George's face cleared at Ronald's change of tone.
"That's what I said to myself," he said eagerly. "I sat and thought, and thought. All at once, it came like a flash, and I said, 'Leslie's the very fellow.'"
"Thanks," Ronald said. "For what?"
"To get things running. You see," Sir George fell to checking the items on his fingers ”

“ Under the wear and tear of small worries which concerned themselves with the length of life of his shoes and gloves, with the least possible amount of draft which could be given to the furnace, his step was losing its alertness, his rich colour was fading a little, his shoulders were less erect. By steady self-control, he kept his temper level ”