' I
heard him say those very words."

Donald looked at her anxiously, but made no reply.

"There's no harm in my telling you," continued Liddy, softly, "because
you and Mr. G. and me know about him."

"No, I don't, Liddy. I haven't heard half, and you know it!" was
Donald's puzzled and indignant rejoinder. "This being let half-way into
a secret doesn't suit me. If Uncle were not busy this evening, I'd go in
and speak to him about that fellow at once."

"Oh, hush! please do," whispered Liddy, hurriedly. "Miss Dorry'll hear
you. I only meant that you and I both know that he's been hanging about
these parts for a week or more, and that his presence doesn't bode any
good. Why, you noticed it before anybody else. Besides, I want her to
sleep. The darling child! She's feeling worse than she lets on, I'm
afraid, though I rubbed her back with liniment to make sure. Please
don't talk any more about things now. To-morrow I'll ask your uncle
if--"

"No, you needn't, thank you, Liddy," interrupted Don, "I'll speak to him
myself."

"Oh my! When?"

"I don't know. When I get ready," he replied, laughing in spite of
himself at Lydia's hopeless way of putting the question. "It is sure to
come soon. I've had pulls at this tangle from time to time without
getting a fair hold of it. But I intend to straighten it out before
long, or know the reason why."

"Sakes! What an air he has, to be sure!" thought Liddy, as Donald moved
away. "The fact is, that boy's getting big. We older folks'll think of
them as children to the end of our days; but it's true as sky and water.
And it's even more so with Miss Dorry. Those twins are getting older, as
sure as I live!"

* * * * *

Monday evening came, and with it the "long, lank man." He did not come
before half-past nine; and then, to Lydia's great disappointment (for
she had rather enjoyed the luxury of dreading this mysterious visit), he
rang the door-bell like any other visitor, and asked, familiarly, for
Mr. Reed.

"Mr. Reed is at home, sir," responded Liddy, in a tone of cold
disapprobation.

"All right. You're the housekeeper, I s'pose?"

Trembling within, but outwardly calm, silent, and majestic, Liddy threw
open the study-door, and saw Mr. Reed rise to receive his guest.

The good woman's sitting-room was directly under the study.
Consequently, the continuous sound of voices overhead soon became
somewhat exasperating. But she calmed herself with