There is no necessity for me stayin' any longer."

He rose to go, but Mr. Brown stopped him by a gesture. "A cousin!" he
exclaimed. "Do not excite yourself; be calm. On the face of it, that would
seem conclusive; but appearances are notoriously deceitful. Will you
assure me on your honor that there is no motive, no family feud, at the
bottom of this? Cousins do not go about the world denouncing each
other--_as a rule_. Family pride, affection, a thousand things, prevent
them from making such things public; but still it is not impossible. I do
not say that it is _impossible_; only _improbable_,--very improbable. Give
me your word, though, that there is _no motive_.--we must always look for
a motive in these cases,--and I will promise to give the matter full and
impartial investigation."

"I'll do nothing of the sort. I will bid you good-morning," exclaimed
Mr. Ramsay, reaching out impetuously for his hat.

"You have meant well, perhaps. I am obliged to you, if such be the case. I
will bear what you have said in mind, and let you know my decision," said
Mr. Brown, delivering a verdict from the bench.

"Just as you please," replied Mr. Ramsay haughtily; and so they parted.

Left to himself, however, Mr. Brown ceased to be judicial, and became
practical. He recalled, as he sat there, a number of circumstances that
had not impressed him favorably in connection with his guest. Mr. Drummond
had borrowed a considerable sum of him, on the ground of delayed
remittances. Mr. Drummond had filled his pockets with his host's Havanas
in the most scandalous fashion, yet never had a cigar. Mr. Drummond had
done a number of ill-bred things that he had not liked,--such as ordering
the carriage to be got ready on his own responsibility, lending valuable
books without so much as asking permission, and the like. The longer Mr.
Brown thought of the late interview, the more uneasy he felt. The paper
had dropped from his hand, and he was still deep in his uncomfortable
meditations, when the door opened, and his daughter ran to him and threw
herself into his arms, crying hysterically, "Oh, popper, popper! Oh! oh!
oh!"

We will extricate the story of what had happened from the sobs and
interruptions to which Mr. Brown had to submit, and preface it with some
account of the relations between Bijou and Mr. Drummond-Plummer or
Plummer-Drummond.

They had met in New York the previous winter, where Mr. Drummond had
suddenly appeared, put up at