wooden tripod for its support.

The two spent the morning happily in each other's company, and at one
o'clock returned to dinner with quite a number of negatives of various
objects of interest about the place. After dinner the young man
retreated to his room to prepare for the battle that he felt sure would
rage on the following Monday.

He did not know all the circumstances of the trouble that had invaded
the family, but he felt sure that the confidential clerk intended some
terrible shame or exposure that in some way concerned his cousin Alma.
So it was he came to call himself her Lohengrin, come to fight her
battles, not with a sword, but with the telegraph, the camera, and the
micro-lantern.

The Sabbath passed quietly, and the Monday came. After breakfast the
student retreated to his room and tried to study, but could not.

About ten o'clock he heard a carriage of some kind stop before the
house. His room being at the rear, he could not see who had come, and
thinking that it might be merely some stray visitor, and that at least
it did not concern him, he turned to his books and made another attempt
to read.

After some slight delay he heard the carriage drive away, and the old
house became very still. Then he heard a door open down stairs, and a
moment after one of the maids knocked at his door.

"Would Mr. Franklin kindly come down stairs? Mr. Denny wished to see him
in the library."

He would come at once; and picking up a number of unmounted photographs
from the table, he prepared to go down stairs. He hardly knew why he
should take the pictures just then. There seemed no special reason why
he should show them to Mr. Denny; still, an indefinite feeling urged him
to take them with him.

The library was a small room, dark, with heavy book shelves against the
walls, and crowded with tables, desk, and easy chairs. There was a
student lamp on the centre table, and in a corner stood a large iron
safe. Mr. Denny was seated at the table with his back to the door, and
with his head supported by his hand and arm. He did not seem to notice
the arrival of his visitor, and Elmer advanced to the table and laid the
photographs upon it.

"I am glad you have come, Mr. Franklin. I wish to talk with you. I wish
to tell you something. A great affliction has fallen upon us, and I wish
you, as our guest, to be prepared for it. I think I can trust you, Elmer
Franklin. I remember your mother, my boy. You have her features--