d wisest
course I could adopt would be to bring it to you. I regard myself as
being in a sense, and subject always to your authority, one of the
child's natural guardians. If I did not view things in that light,"
the old lady explained, making elaborate motions with her lips for the
distinct enunciation of every word, "I should consider that I was guilty
of a sinful neglect of duty."

"Well," said Fuller, "as to sinful. But drive on, Miss Blythe."

"It appeared to me, then," continued Rachel, "that our plain duty would
be to read this together, and to consult upon it."

"Wheer does the letter come from?" Fuller demanded, with a look of
bewilderment.

"I discovered it in the--"

"What!" cried the old fellow, jumping from his chair and staring at her
across the table with red face and wrathful eyes.

"I discovered it," replied Rachel, rising also and facing him with her
head thrown back and her youthful eyes flashing, "I discovered it in the
music-book which was left last night upon this table. I saw it placed
there clandestinely by my niece Ruth."

"Be you mad, Miss Blythe?" asked Fuller, with a slow solemnity of
inquiry which would have made the question richly mirthful to an
auditor. "Do you mean to tell me as you go about spyin' after wheer my
little wench puts her letters to her sweetheart? Why, fie, fie, ma'am!
That's a child's trick, not a bit like a growd-up woman."

Fuller was astonished, but Rachel's amazement transcended his own.

"And you tell me, John Fuller, that you know the character of this man?"

"Know his character!" cried Fuller. "Who should know it better nor me?
The lad's well-nigh lived i' my house ever sence he was no higher 'n my
elber. Know his character? Ah! Should think I did an' all. The cliverest
lad of his hands and the best of his feet for twenty mile around--as
full o' pluck as a tarrier an' as kindly-hearted as a wench. Bar his
Uncle Ezra, theer niver was a mon to match him in Heydon Hay i' my time.
Know his character!" He was unused to speak with so much vigor, and he
paused breathless and mopped his scarlet face with his shirt-sleeve,
staring across his arm at Rachel meanwhile in mingled rage and wonder.

"His Uncle Ezra?" said Rachel, looking fixedly and scornfully back at
him. "His Uncle Ezra is a villain!"

For a second or two he stared at her with a countenance of pure
amazement, and then burst into a sudden gurgle of laughter. This so
overmastered him that he had to c