d in the corner of the case a
familiar chamois skin bag; she had often seen it on Aunt Edith's
bureau.

"Well, now," he continued, "If I had a niece as sharp and smart and
quiet as you are, Missy, I'd tell her my plans, I would, and get her
to help me. I wonder your uncle didn't. Sure he didn't mention
me--Mr. Barker?"

Again she shook her head, her eyes fastened to the bag.

"Well," said the man, shutting down the cover of the suit-case and
strapping it tightly, "it's this way. You may have heard your uncle
say something about it being kind o' careless, leaving the house so
much alone? Anyhow, whether he's talked to you or not about it, he
has to me often enough."

"Oh, yes!" Caroline was conscious of a distinct sense of relief.
"I've often heard him. Then you _do_ know Uncle Joe?"

The man faced her, starting in violent surprise.

"Do I know Uncle Joe?" he repeated; "do I _know_ him?" He shook his
head feebly and gazed about the room. "She says, do I know Joe Holt!
And what should I be doing, eating my lunch here, if I didn't?" he
demanded. "What should he tell me about his troubles for, and ask me
to help him, if I didn't know him? Is it likely I'd be packing his
silver in my suit-case if I didn't know him?"

Caroline stood abashed.

"I should think you might guess by this time what the joke is," he
went on forgivingly, seeing that she was quite overcome with her own
stupidity, "but as I have to get away pretty quick now, I'll tell
you. You see, Joe isn't coming right back with your aunt; he's going
on to Chicago, and that may keep him some time away--"

("I know," Caroline interpolated), "and he wanted your aunt to have
somebody stay in the house to look after it--he felt worried. But
no, she wouldn't. Wouldn't even get a dog--that is," eyeing Caroline
steadily, "unless she's got one lately, but when I last heard--"

"No," she assured him, "she wouldn't. Aunt Edith hates dogs."

"So Joe told me. 'Now what would you do, Henry,' says Joe to me,
that's my name, Henry Barker, 'what would you do with a woman like
that?'

"'Do, Joe?' says I, 'why, I'll tell you what I'd do, I'd teach her a
lesson, that's what. I'd I'd give her one good scare, and then you'd
find she'd take your advice, after that.'"

At this point the man reached for his overcoat and began to struggle
into it.

"'But I don't know how to, Henry,' says he. 'You don't?' says I,
'nothing easier. Just tip somebody off when the house is empty