now, sir. You know where I live," said Ruth in
surprise.

"Heh? I'll go with you. I want to talk with your folks."

"I really do not understand your object. I have no parents, sir," said
Ruth, a little angry by this time. "If you wish to see our lawyer--"

"Haven't you anybody?"

"I have sisters and an aunt and a guardian--our lawyer," said Ruth not
at all pleased to be obliged to satisfy the curiosity of the old man
with the green umbrella.

He walked on beside her and there really seemed no way to escape him.
She thought it strange that he cared to come to the house again, having
already been there once and interviewed Mrs. MacCall.

When they came in sight of the old Corner House Ruth heard the old
gentleman utter an exclamation as though he recognized it. Then, when
she stopped at the gate he demanded:

"So you live here?"

"Of course I do," Ruth replied rather sharply for her.

She opened the gate and passed through. She did not ask him to enter;
but he came in just the same, green umbrella and all. He walked beside
her up the path and up the steps to the door. Then as she turned to face
him he grumbled:

"So I suppose you're going to tell me that you are Ruth Kenway?"

"That is my name, sir."

"Humph! So, the boy _has_ got some sense, after all," muttered the old
man.

Ruth suddenly felt that there was a deep meaning in the old man's look
and a reason for his curiosity. She asked faintly:

"What boy, sir? Whom do you mean?"

"That whippersnapper, Luke Shepard."

"Oh!" Ruth exclaimed. "_You are Neighbor!_"

So that is why Luke, coming half an hour later to this very front door,
spied the green umbrella and Mr. Henry Northrup's great overshoes
standing together on the porch of the old Corner House.

Luke did not know at first whether it would be best to ring the bell or
to run. He wavered for several minutes, undecided. Then suddenly Neale
O'Neil, rounding the corner of the house, caught sight of him.

"Hullo!" shouted the ex-circus boy. "Lost, strayed, or stolen? The girls
have been looking for you. Your sister is here already."

"Sh!" whispered Luke, beckoning frantically. "Somebody else is here,
too."

"Crickey, yes! You know the old chap? Northrup's his name. He looks as
hard as nails, but our Ruth's got him feeding out of her hand already.
Oh, Ruth is some charmer!"

Luke fairly fell up against Neale.

"Charmed Neighbor?" he gasped. "Then Aunt Lorena's right! The world _is_
comin