omfortably. Then she grew so restless and consulted
the clock so often that I tried to soothe her by remarking that it was
not an easy task he had set himself, at which she laughed in a
mysterious way, but failed to grow less anxious till our suspense was
cut short by the appearance of the janitor with a message from Mr.
L'Hommedieu.

"'Mr. L'Hommedieu's compliments,' said he, 'and he hopes Mrs.
L'Hommedieu will make herself comfortable and not think of coming down.
He is doing everything that is necessary and will soon be through. You
can rest quite easy, ma'am.'

"'What does he mean?' marvelled the poor woman as the janitor
disappeared. 'Is he spending all this time ransacking the rooms? I wish
I dared disobey him. I wish I dared go down.'

"But her courage was not equal to an open disregard of his wishes, and
she had to subdue her impatience and wait for a summons that did not
come till near two o'clock. Then Mr. L'Hommedieu himself appeared with
her hat and mantle on his arm.

"'My dear,' said he as she rose, haggard with excitement, to meet him,
'I have brought your wraps with me that you may go directly from here to
our new home. Shall I assist you to put them on? You do not look as well
as usual, and that is why I have undertaken this thing all myself--to
save you, my dear; to save you each and every exertion.'

"I had flung out my arms to catch her, for I thought she was going to
faint, but she did not, though I think it would have been better for her
if she had.

"'We are going to leave this house?' she asked, speaking very slowly and
with a studied lack of emotion that imposed upon nobody.

"'I have said so,' he smiled. 'The dray has already taken away the half
of our effects, and the rest will follow at Mrs. Latimer's convenience.'

"'Ah, I understand!' she replied, with a gasp of relief significant of
her fear that by some super-human cunning he had found the bond she
thought so safely concealed. 'I was wondering how Mrs. Latimer came to
allow us to leave.' (I tell you they always talked as if I were not
present.) 'Our goods are left as a surety, it seems.'

"'Half of our goods,' he blandly corrected. 'Would it interest you to
know which half?'

"The cunning of this insinuation was matched by the imperturbable shrug
with which she replied, 'So a bed has been allowed us and some clothes I
am satisfied,' at which he bit his lips, vexed at her self-control and
his own failure to break it.

"'You h