"They say he's a broker—whatever that is. I wonder what a broker breaks—hearts probably. If Mr. Parneau is a sample. Oh, dear, this awful algebra."
She stood pouting at life in general and study in particular. She turned back to her task and stood in so melancholy a posture that Doctor Royce, passing her window and seeing her, paused to study her for a moment as if she were a painted figure in a painted scene. He thought she was painted splendidly well. She was so pretty that she made his heart ache. It ached for himself and then for her, the poor little prisoner. He tapped on the window.
Gloria turned and recognized her visitor. Her eyes twinkled with affection. She did like Doctor Royce! David had presented him to her. Doctor Royce had graduated at David's college; they were members of the same fraternity.
"You ought to be out here in the sun," Doctor Royce suggested.
Gloria was shocked at the idea. She pointed to the blackboard. "I'm in jail for a thousand years. It will take me at least that long to do this hateful problem."
Royce could not enter her room to go to the blackboard, so he asked her to bring the blackboard to him. She fetched it joyously and gave him chalk and said: "There isn't any answer, though."
He was too polite to say, "Why, this is the easiest thing in the world," but he showed that it was for Kim by the speed and smiling ease of his chalk work.  In a moment the riddle was solved. 