d so large a part in
her mental life. She did not even trouble to look at Mollie as she
spoke; but Trix did, and bounded to her feet in excitement.

"Is it--is it? Oh, Mollie, not really! He hasn't really and truly
appeared after all these years? You don't seriously mean it? Look at
her, Ruth! I believe it _is_ true!"

Ruth looked, and flushed the loveliest of pinks. It seemed almost
incredible that Trix was right, yet something very much out of the usual
course of events must have happened to excite Mollie so keenly. Her
cheeks were burning as though with a fever, the hand resting on the
table was actually trembling. "Tell me, Mollie!" she pleaded; and
Mollie nodded her head in triumph.

"Uncle Bernard himself! The real, genuine article sitting in solid
flesh and blood in our very own study, and I'm the one who brought him
here. What do you think of _that_ for an adventure? I saw an aged,
aged man a-leaning on a stick, as the poem says, and I went up and asked
him if I could help him in any way. I once read about an old man whose
nose suddenly began to bleed in an omnibus. He searched for a pocket-
handkerchief, but had evidently forgotten to bring one, and the other
passengers began to smile and titter, all except one girl, who opened
her bag and presented him with a nice clean one of her own. The old man
died soon afterwards, and left her a million pounds as a token of
gratitude. I think it's just as kind to escort a stranger through a
lonely park when he has lost his way! If Uncle Bernard adopts me and
gives me a million, I'll treat you both to a nice new hat.--I asked
where he was going, and he said to Number 7 Langton Terrace, and I
looked at him. And, Ruth, do you know what I thought of? I thought of
_you_! He had black eyebrows like yours, and he scowls, as you do (only
when you are cross, dear, not when you're in a good temper), and his
lips droop like yours, too. I thought, `I have seen that face before!'
and then I remembered the photographs, and it burst upon me all in a
moment. Then he asked me if I knew the Connors, and I said I'd known
them for years, and the step-daughters, too, and that they were a
charming family, but Mollie was the nicest of all."

"Mollie, you didn't!"

"I did! Why not? It's true, isn't it? When I revealed myself to him,
however, he seemed to think that I was rather vain. I must leave it to
time to prove the truth of my assertion."

"You are in earnes