o, too. And I asked Isaac where the family lived who used to
own the cot, and he said they were still at the hotel, not being able to
find any suitable quarters. So I sent for the widow and her daughter and
son, and I told them to take the cot just as it was, and to keep it
forever, and I would have Mr. Maxwell make out the law papers. They went
about shouting with delight at everything they saw, very different from
that Fanny! So it was really a very nice thing to do, and I feel a great
deal better. And here I am, and you will find Fanny and her mother
somewhere in the house whenever you want to see them. After this I think
it will be better for us both not to try any affectionate frauds on each
other.'

"I was very glad the investigating Fanny had not discovered all my
affectionate frauds, and that I was able myself to reveal to Anita the
identity of the useful Isaac. This did amaze her, and for a moment I
thought she was going to cry; but she was not in the habit of doing much
of that sort of thing, and presently she laughed. 'Monsieur Isadore,'
she exclaimed, 'working in the garden and washing pots and pans! Why,
don't you know some people think he is almost as good as our head chef
Leonard?'

"'As good!' I cried. 'He is infinitely better. Leonard could never have
done for us what our good Isaac did. And now I must tell you a story
about Isadore that Baxter related to me this morning as we drove up from
the station.' I then told her the story of Isadore alias Isaac--of his
dislike for Mr. Rounders, and of the noble manner in which he had
determined to stand by us when he heard that gentleman was about to
visit us. 'After Rounders's arrival,' I remarked, 'things went on
apparently as well as before--'

[Illustration: "I made him dig up whole beds of things."]

"'Apparently!' Anita interrupted. 'They went on better than before. I
let Isaac, as we called him, do a great deal more of the cooking than he
did before Mr. Rounders came. I thought our meals were remarkably good,
and if Mr. Rounders did not like them, as I sometimes thought he did
not, I believed it was because he could not help putting on airs even to
us.'

"I laughed. 'Well,' said I, 'the state of the case was this: during the
whole time Rounders stayed with us, Isadore did not cook one particle of
food for him.'

"'That was impossible,' cried Anita. 'I noticed nothing of the kind,
and, besides, Mr. Rounders would have found it out immediately.'

"