"Yes, I remember you," said Cornelia, in a voice as cold as the
finger-tips which she inwardly raged to think she gave him, but was
helpless to refuse, simply because he was holding out his hand to her.

"Well, it's good for sore eyes to see you again," said Mr. Dickerson,
closing both of his hands on hers. "Let's see; it's four years ago! How
the time flies! I declare, it don't hardly seem a day. Mustn't tell you
how you've grown, I suppose? Well, we _weren't_ much more than
children, then, anyhow. Set down! I'm at home here. Old stamping-ground
of mine, when I'm in New York; our house has its headquarters in New
York, now; everything's got to come, sooner or later. Well, it's a
great place."

Cornelia obeyed him for the same reason that she gave him her hand,
which was no reason. "I heard your voice there at the door, when you
came in a little while ago, and I was just going to rush out and speak
to you. I was sure it was you; but thinks I, 'It can't be; it's too
good to be true'; and I waited till I could see Mrs. Montgomery, and
then I sent up for you. Didn't send my name; thought I'd like to
surprise you. Well, how's the folks? Mother still doing business at the
old stand? Living and well, I hope?"

"My mother is well," said Cornelia. She wondered how she should rid
herself of this horrible little creature, who grew, as she looked at
him in her fascination, more abominable to her every moment. She was
without any definite purpose in asking, "How is Mrs. Dickerson?"

The question appeared to give Mr. Dickerson great satisfaction; he
laughed, throwing back his head: "Who, Tweet? Well, I thought you'd be
after me there, about the first thing! I don't blame you; don't blame
you a bit. Be just so myself, if I was in your place! Perfectly natural
you should! Then you ain't heard?"

"I don't know what you mean," said Cornelia, with mounting aversion.
She edged away from him, for in the expression of his agreeable emotion
he had pushed nearer to her on the sofa.

"Why, Tweet is Mrs. Byers, now; court let her take back her maiden
name. I didn't oppose the divorce; nothing like peace in families, you
know. Tweet was all right, and I hain't got anything to say against
her. _She's_ a good girl; but we couldn't seem to hit it off, and we
agreed to quit, after we'd tried it a couple of years or so, and I've
been a free man ever since."

It could not be honestly said that Cornelia was profoundly revolted by
the facts so l