owner, Marian's mother, has agreed to conduct the place as
heretofore, at a very excellent salary, and I have no fear as to--But
excuse me for going on like this, ma'am. No doubt you would like to talk
about your own affairs instead of listening to mine. You said something
about opening the house and coming back here to live. Of course, I shall
consider it my duty to remain here just as long as I can be of service to
you. There will be a little plumbing needed on the third floor, and I
fancy a general cleaning--"

"Thank heaven, there is Mr. Dodge at last," cried Anne, as the bell
jangled almost over her head, startling her into a little cry of alarm.

As Wade shuffled toward the front door, once more the simple slave of
circumstance, she fled quickly into the library.

"Oh, Lutie," she cried, sinking into a chair beside the long, familiar
table, and beating with her clenched hands upon the surface of it, "I know
at last just how I look to other people. My God in heaven, what a _thing
I_ must seem to you."

Lutie came swiftly out of the shadows and laid her hands upon the
shoulders of her sister-in-law.

"You ought to thank the Lord, dear old girl, for the revelation," she said
gently. "I guess it's just what you've needed." Then she leaned over and
pressed her warm, soft cheek to Anne's cold one. "If I owned this house,"
she said almost in a whisper, "I'd renovate it from top to bottom. I'd get
rid of more than old Wade and the old clothes. The best and cheapest way
to renovate it would be to set fire to a barrel of kerosene in the
basement."

"Oh, how horrible for that girl to marry a dreadful, shrivelled old man
like Wade. The skin on his hands is all wrinkled and loose--I couldn't help
noticing it as I--"

"Hello!" called out Simmy from the doorway, peering into the darkened
room. "Where the deuce are you? Ah, that's better, Wade." The caretaker
had switched on the lights in the big chandelier. "Sorry to be late, Anne.
Morning, Lutie. How's my god-son? Couldn't get here a minute sooner. You
see, Anne, I've got other clients besides you. Braden, for instance. I've
been carrying out his instructions in regard to that confounded
trusteeship. The whole matter is to be looked after by a Trust Company
from now on. Simplifies matters enormously."

Anne started up. "Isn't--isn't he coming back to America?" she cried.

"Sure,--unless they pink him some day. My goodness, you don't suppose for
an instant that he coul