was dead, long ago."

"I'm home for a visit. You folks seem prosperous. How's business?"

"Pretty good. We got a new boarder to-day, a feller with bum nerves who
come from the city. Gee! but he's togged out t' kill. Got money, too,
an' ain't afraid to spend it. He paid Dad in advance."

"That's nice," said Nan. "What's his name?"

"It's a funny name, but I can't remember it. Ye kin see it on the
register."

Nan went inside, leaving Ingua with Mary Ann, and studied the name on
the register long and closely.

"No," she finally decided, "Lysander isn't calculated to arouse
suspicion. He wears a wig, I know, but that is doubtless due to vanity
and not a disguise. I at first imagined it was someone O'Gorman had
sent down here to help Josie, but none of our boys would undertake such
a spectacular personation, bound to attract attention. This fellow will
become the laughing-stock of the whole town and every move he makes
will be observed. I'm quite sure there is nothing dangerous in the
appearance here of Mr. Lysander Antonius Sinclair."

She chatted a few minutes with Mrs. Hopper, whom she found in the
kitchen, and then she rejoined Ingua and started homeward. Scarcely
were mother and child out of sight when Mr. Sinclair came mincing along
from an opposite direction and entered the hotel. He went to his room
but soon came down and in a querulous voice demanded his omelet,
thanking the landlady again and again for promising it in ten minutes.

He amused them all very much, stating that an omelet for an evening
meal was "an effective corrective of tired nerves" and would enable him
to sleep soundly all night.

"I sleep a great deal," he announced after he had finished his supper
and joined Mr. Hopper on the porch. "When I have smoked a cigar--in
which luxury I hope you will join me, sir--I shall retire to my couch
and rest in the arms of Morpheus until the brilliant sun of another day
floods the countryside."

"P'r'aps it'll rain," suggested the landlord.

"Then Nature's tears will render us sweetly sympathetic."

He offered his cigar case to Mr. Hopper, who recognized a high priced
cigar and helped himself.

"Didn't see anything to make ye nervous, durin' yer walk, did ye?" he
inquired, lighting the weed.

"Very little. It seems a nice, quiet place. Only once was I annoyed. I
stumbled into a private path, just before I reached the river, and--and
had to apologize."

"Must 'a' struck Ol' Swallertail's place