zer's
library. Even Dorothy was forced to admit that she made very little
trouble.

The train rumbled into the station--the very same train which had brought
the Serpent into Paradise. Dorothy smiled a little at the idea of a snake
travelling on a train unless it belonged to a circus, and wiped her eyes.
Having mapped out her line of conduct, the rest was simple enough--to
abide by it even to the smallest details, and patiently await results.

When she went downstairs again she was outwardly quite herself, but
altogether unprepared for the surprise that awaited her in the parlour.

"Hello," cried a masculine voice, cheerily, as she entered the room. "I've
never seen you before, have I?"

"Not that I know of," replied Dorothy, startled, but not in the least
afraid.

The young man who rose to greet her was not at all unpleasant to look
upon. He was taller than Harlan, smooth-shaven, had nice brown eyes, and a
mop of curly brown hair which evidently annoyed him. Moreover, he was
laughing, as much from sheer joy of living as anything else.

"Which side of the house are you a relative of?" he asked.

"The inside," returned Dorothy. "I keep house here."

"You don't say so! What's become of Sally? Uncle shoo her off the lot?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," answered Dorothy, with a
fruitless effort to appear matronly and dignified. "If by 'uncle' you mean
Uncle Ebeneezer, he's dead."

"You don't tell me! Reaped at last, after all this delay! Then how did you
come here?"

"By train," responded Dorothy, enjoying the situation to the utmost.
"Uncle Ebeneezer left the house and furniture to my husband."

The young man sank into a chair and wiped the traces of deep emotion from
his ruddy face. "Hully Gee!" he said, when he recovered speech. "I suppose
that's French for 'Dick, chase yourself.'"

"Perhaps not," suggested Mrs. Carr, strangely loath to have this breezy
individual take his departure. "You might tell me who you are; don't you
think so?"

"Not a bad notion at all. I'm the Dick of the firm of 'Tom, Dick, and
Harry,' you've doubtless heard about from your childhood. My other name is
Chester, but few know it. I'm merely 'Dick' to everybody, yourself
included, I trust," he added with an elaborate bow. "If you will sit down,
and make yourself comfortable, I will now unfold to you the sad story of
my life.

"I was born of poor but honest parents about twenty-three years ago,
according to the last o