llected once more her packages and
walked to the windows. Again she heard the cold hard tones of Ethel's
voice speaking to her:

"Follow the path to your right until you come to a door. Knock and ask
permission to wait there, and for your future guidance go to the BACK
door of a house and ring, don't walk unannounced into a private room."

Peg tried to explain:

"Ye see, ma'am, I didn't know. All the gentleman said was 'Go there and
wait'--"

"That will do."

"I'm sorry I disturbed yez." And she glanced at the embarrassed Brent.

"THAT WILL DO!" said Ethel finally.

Poor Peg nodded and wandered off through the windows sore at heart. She
went down the path until she reached the door Ethel mentioned. She
knocked at it. While she is waiting for admission we will return to the
fortunes of the rudely-disturbed LOVERS(?).

CHAPTER IV

THE CHICHESTER FAMILY RECEIVES A SECOND SHOCK

Ethel turned indignantly to Brent, as the little figure went off down
the path.

"Outrageous!" she cried.

"Poor little wretch." Brent walked to the windows and looked after her.
"She's quite pretty."

Ethel looked understandingly at him: "IS she?"

"In a shabby sort of way. Didn't you think so?"

Ethel glared coldly at him.

"I never notice the lower orders. You apparently do."

"Oh, yes--often. They're very interesting--at times." He strained to
get a last glimpse of the intruder:

"Do you know, she's the strangest little apparition--"

"She's only a few yards away if you care to follow her!"

Her tone brought Brent up sharply. He turned away from the window and
found Ethel--arms folded, eyes flashing--waiting for him. Something in
her manner alarmed him. He had gone too far.

"Why, Ethel,"--he said, as he came toward her.

"Suppose my mother had walked in here--or Alaric--instead of that
creature? Never do such a thing again."

"I was carried away," he hastened to explain.

"Kindly exercise a little more restraint. You had better go now." There
was a finality of dismissal in her tone as she passed him and crossed
to the great staircase. He followed her:

"May I call to-morrow?"

"No," she answered decidedly. "Not to-morrow."

"The following day, then," he urged.

"Perhaps."

"Remember--I build on you."

She looked searchingly at him:

"I suppose we ARE worthy of each other."

Through the open windows came the sound of voices.

"Go!" she said imperatively and she passed on up the stairs. Brent w