sixty-three to seven; that will
do. Tell him to look through the indexes himself; he'll find what he
wants under 'Yule.'"

If Mr. Joshua's visitors had come, as Mr. Parker surmised, straight off a
wreck, the first to file into his office had assuredly salved from
calamity a wonderful headgear. This was Mrs. Purchase, in a bonnet
crowned with a bunch of glass grapes; and by the hand she led Myra, who
carried one arm in a sling. The child's features were pinched and pale,
and her eyes unnaturally bright. Behind followed Mr. Purchase and Tom
Trevarthen, holding their caps, and looking around uneasily for a mat to
wipe their shoes on.

No such shyness troubled Mrs. Purchase. "Good-morning!" she began
briskly, holding out a hand.

Mr. Joshua took it helplessly, his eyes for the moment riveted on her
bonnet. It bore no traces of exposure to sea-water, and he transferred
his scrutiny to the child.

"You don't remember me," pursued Mrs. Purchase cheerfully. "But I'd have
picked you out from a thousand, though I han't seen you since you was _so_
high." She spread out a palm some three feet or less from the floor.
"I'm Hannah Purchase, that used to be Hannah Rosewarne, daughter of John
Rosewarne of Hall. You know now who I be, I reckon; and this here's my
niece, and that there's my husband. The young man in the doorway ain't no
relation; but he comes from Hall too. He's Sal Trevarthen's son.
You remember Sal Trevarthen?"

"Ah, yes--yes, to be sure. Delighted to see you, madam--delighted,"
stammered Mr. Joshua, who, however, as yet showed signs only of
bewilderment. "And you wish to see me?"--

"Wish to see you? Man alive, we've been hunting all Fleet Street for you!
Talk about rabbit warrens! Well, when 'tis over 'tis over, as Joan said
by her wedding, and here we be at last."

She paused and looked around.

"Place wants dusting," she observed. "Never married, did 'ee? I reckoned
I'd never heard of your marrying. Your brother now has eleven of 'em--
children, I mean; and yet you feature him wonderful, though fuller in the
face. But the Lord's ways be past finding out."

"Amen," said her husband, paying his customary tribute to a scriptural
quotation, and added, "They don't keep over many chairs in this office."
He addressed this observation to Tom Trevarthen with an impartial air as
one announcing a scientific discovery.

"Thank you," said Mrs. Purchase, seating herself in a chair which Mr.
Joshua m