then I remembered,--Dorsett.

"It--it's an uncle of mine," says I to Zenobia, "a reg'lar uncle."

"Why," says she, "I didn't know you had one."

"Me either," says I, "until the other day. He just turned up. Could I
take him into the libr'y?"

"Of course," says Zenobia.

I was kind of sorry he'd come. I hadn't been so chesty over Uncle Bill
at the office; but here, where things are sort of quiet and
classy--well, I could see where he wouldn't show up so strong. Besides,
I hadn't made up my mind just how I was goin' to turn down his
proposition.

I towed him in, though. He was glancin' around the room approvin', and
makin' a few openin' remarks, when the folks come strollin' out from the
dinin'-room. I glances up, and sees Mr. Ballard just as he's about to
pass the door. So does Dorsett. And, say, the minute them two spots each
other things sort of hung fire and stopped. Dorsett he breaks short off
what he's sayin', and Mr. Ballard comes to a halt and stands starin' in
the room. Next I know he's pushed in, and they're facin' each other.

"Pardon me, Sir," says Ballard, "but didn't you cross with me on the
_Lucania_ once? And weren't you thick with Dick Ballard?"

Course I could see something coming right then; but I didn't know what
it was. Mr. Dorsett's shifty eyes take another look at Ballard, and then
he hitches uneasy in his chair.

"Rather an odd coincidence, isn't it?" says he. "Yes, I was on board
that trip."

"Then you're one of the men I've been looking for a good many years,"
says Ballard. "You knew Dick very well, didn't you? Then perhaps you
can tell me who he left that boy of his with when he went West?"

"Why, yes," says Dorsett, smilin' fidgety. "He--er--the fact is, he left
him with me."

"With you, eh?" says Ballard. "I might have guessed as much. Well, Sir,
where's the boy now?"

"Wha-a-at?" gasps Dorsett, lookin' from me to Mr. Ballard. "Where, did
you say?"

"Yes, Sir," comes back Ballard snappy. "Where?"

More gasps from Dorsett. But he's good at duckin' trouble. With a wink
at me and a chuckle he remarks: "Torchy, suppose you tell the gentleman
where you are?"

Well, say, it was some complicated unravelin' we did durin' the next few
minutes, believe me; but after Zenobia and Martha had been called in,
and Dorsett has done some more of his smooth explainin', we all begun to
see where we were at.

"Torchy," says Zenobia at last, "bring down from your room that little
gold locket