is he?" Janet regarded her work
critically and bit off a thread neatly. "The old deevil! I'm glad I
have been with you all this time, Miss Ocky, and not around that 'un!
I've heard a few things about him from Bates." She threaded another
needle with deft fingers. "He's a rare curmudgeon. D'ye suppose he'll
go on like this to the end of his days?"

"Can you teach an old dog new tricks?" asked Miss Ocky contemptuously.
"You should know better at your age, Janet." She got up and strolled
out on the balcony to see the brilliant stars in a sky of velvet
blackness. "Quarter past ten already. I shan't need you for anything
to-night. If you insist on ruining your eyes with that work any
longer, go off to your own room and let me get to bed!"

_VII: Out of the Past_

When the curtain rose on the scene of that interview between the tanner
and his son, Simon was discovered at his desk laboriously making
entries in his small, cramped handwriting in the red notebook that held
so many of his secrets. He did not look up until he had completed the
memorandum which engaged him; when he swung his chair around he still
held the closed book in his hand and occasionally pounded his knee with
it when he wished to emphasize some point in the ensuing conversation.

He had his notions of good generalship no less than his shrewd
sister-in-law, and he did not make the mistake of pitching his
prefatory remarks on a note of hostility. He was fishing for
information. He hoped to get a clue to the reason for Copley's sudden
elevation of spirit, if a reason really existed.

"I was a little pressed for ready money at the beginning of the month
and did not see my way to making the usual deposit to your account," he
began, utterly indifferent, so he were not caught, that he was being
deliberately untruthful. "Hope it didn't embarrass you. Things are
easier, now, and I will attend to the matter to-morrow morning."

"Why--why, thank you, sir!" This was so unexpected that the young man
was as bewildered as if a mine had exploded at his feet. "That is very
good of you. I had no idea you were--were strapped." He flushed. "As
a matter of fact, I thought--I thought--"

"Go on. What did you think?"

"Well, sir, I thought you were just giving me a reminder of my absolute
dependence on you. I've been a pretty useless animal, I know."

"Why the past tense? Are you a useful animal now?"

"N-no, sir. I guess it would be exagg