e back, grave and quiet; and, from that time forth,
was curiously changed. More thoughtful, and perhaps less active; quite
as decided in conduct, but with new and different rules for the guidance
of that conduct. Towards Alice he could hardly be more kind than he had
always been; but he now seemed to look upon her as some one sacred and to
be treated with reverence, as well as tenderness. He throve in business,
and made a large fortune, one half of which was settled upon her.

* * * * *

Long years after these events,--a few months after her mother died,
Ailsie and her "father" (as she always called Mr. Openshaw) drove to a
cemetery a little way out of town, and she was carried to a certain mound
by her maid, who was then sent back to the carriage. There was a head-
stone, with F. W. and a date. That was all. Sitting by the grave, Mr.
Openshaw told her the story; and for the sad fate of that poor father
whom she had never seen, he shed the only tears she ever saw fall from
his eyes.

* * * * *

"A most interesting story, all through," I said, as Jarber folded up the
first of his series of discoveries in triumph. "A story that goes
straight to the heart--especially at the end. But"--I stopped, and
looked at Trottle.

Trottle entered his protest directly in the shape of a cough.

"Well!" I said, beginning to lose my patience. "Don't you see that I
want you to speak, and that I don't want you to cough?"

"Quite so, ma'am," said Trottle, in a state of respectful obstinacy which
would have upset the temper of a saint. "Relative, I presume, to this
story, ma'am?"

"Yes, Yes!" said Jarber. "By all means let us hear what this good man
has to say."

"Well, sir," answered Trottle, "I want to know why the House over the way
doesn't let, and I don't exactly see how your story answers the question.
That's all I have to say, sir."

I should have liked to contradict my opinionated servant, at that moment.
But, excellent as the story was in itself, I felt that he had hit on the
weak point, so far as Jarber's particular purpose in reading it was
concerned.

"And that is what you have to say, is it?" repeated Jarber. "I enter
this room announcing that I have a series of discoveries, and you jump
instantly to the conclusion that the first of the series exhausts my
resources. Have I your permission, dear lady, to enlighten this obtuse
person, if possible, by reading Number Two?"

"My work is behindhand, ma'am,"