ister Sarah will send me again, for this is the kind of work she
believes in. She has a very poor opinion of typewriting; but, of course,
a sister will come with me."

"There is one coming to join you now," I said; "I see her gray figure on
the top of the hill. As she will not understand matters, and as I do not
wish to talk any more about my plans, until I am better able to show how
they will work, I think it will be well for me to retire; but I shall be
here to-morrow morning, and it would suit my plans very well if another
sister comes with you."

Sylvia looked around at the approaching gray figure.

"I think that is Sister Lydia," she said, "at least, I think I recognize
her walk, and so it might be well for you to go. If it were Sister
Agatha it wouldn't matter so much. Of course, when your plan is all
explained and agreed to, it will not make any difference who comes or
goes."

"Very true," said I, "and now I think I will bid you good-morning. Be
sure and be here to-morrow."

She shook hands with me, across the prostrate form of the rheumatic
Frenchman, who smiled, and murmured, "_Bien, bien, mes anges_," and she
assured me that I might expect her on the morrow.

XLV.

I MAKE COFFEE AND GET INTO HOT WATER.

I do not like to do anything which looks in the least underhanded, but I
must admit that I left that wretched cottage by the back door, and
taking a path through some woods, made a wide circuit before returning
to the village.

As soon as I reached my house, I called Walkirk from his writing, and
rapidly gave him instructions in regard to the execution of an idea
which had come into my mind during my brotherhood labors of the morning.

I told him to hasten to the scene of my building operations, and to take
away all the carpenters, painters, and plasterers he could crowd into a
two-horse wagon, and to go with them to the house of the rheumatic
Frenchman, from which I knew the sisters would have departed before he
reached it. I promised to join him there, and at the same time that he
set out on his errand, I hurried to a shop in the village, the owner of
which combined the occupations of cabinet maker and undertaker, and who
generally kept on hand a small stock of cheap furniture. From this I
selected such articles as I thought would be suitable or useful in a
small house, which at present contained nothing too good for a bonfire,
and ordered them sent immediately to the Frenchman's cottage.