information which might have embarrassed a
diplomatist of higher degree.

CHAPTER XXVIII. MR. BRADSHAW CALLS ON MISS BADLAM

"Is Miss Hazard in, Kitty?"

"Indade she's in, Mr. Bridshaw, but she won't see nobody."

"What's the meaning of that, Kitty? Here is the third time within three
days you've told me I could n't see her. She saw Mr. Gridley yesterday,
I know; why won't she see me to-day?"

"Y' must ask Miss Myrtle what the rason is, it's none o' my business,
Mr. Bridshaw. That's the order she give me."

"Is Miss Badlam in?"

"Indade she's in, Mr. Bridshaw, an' I 'll go cahl her."

"Bedad," said Kitty Fagan to herself, "the cat an' the fox is goin' to
have another o' thim big tahks togither, an' sure the old hole for the
stove-pipe has niver been stopped up yet."

Mr. Bradshaw and Miss Cynthia went into the parlor together, and
Mistress Kitty retired to her kitchen. There was a deep closet belonging
to this apartment, separated by a partition from the parlor. There was a
round hole high up in this partition through which a stove-pipe had
once passed. Mistress Kitty placed a stool just under this opening, upon
which, as on a pedestal, she posed herself with great precaution in the
attitude of the goddess of other people's secrets, that is to say, with
her head a little on one side, so as to bring her liveliest ear close
to the opening. The conversation which took place in the hearing of the
invisible third party began in a singularly free-and-easy manner on Mr.
Bradshaw's part.

"What the d---- is the reason I can't see Myrtle, Cynthia?"

"That's more than I can tell you, Mr. Bradshaw. I can watch her goings
on, but I can't account for her tantrums."

"You say she has had some of her old nervous whims,--has the doctor been
to see her?"

"No indeed. She has kept to herself a good deal, but I don't think
there's anything in particular the matter with her. She looks well
enough, only she seems a little queer,--as girls do that have taken a
fancy into their heads that they're in love, you know,--absent-minded,
does n't seem to be interested in things as you would expect after being
away so long."

Mr. Bradshaw looked as if this did not please him particularly. If he
was the object of her thoughts she would not avoid him, surely.

"Have you kept your eye on her steadily?"

"I don't believe there is an hour we can't account for,--Kitty and I
between us."

"Are you sure you can depend on Kitty?"