own.

The apparition moved swiftly forward, and, before he knew what he was
about, an unmistakable kiss had got itself applied to his countenance
and--more amazing still--he was strongly of the impression that there
had been--no robbery!

Greatly agitated by so unusual an experience, he only managed to say:
"So you are----?"

"Yes; I am Di Crosby,--your granddaughter, you know, and--this is
Thanksgiving day!"

"You don't say so!" and the old man gazed down at her in growing
trepidation.

"Let's sit down," Di suggested, feeling that she gained every point
that her adversary lost. "This must be your chair. And I'll sit here.
There! Isn't this cozy?"

"Oh, very!"

The master of the house had sufficiently recovered himself to put on
his spectacles, the use of which was affording him much satisfaction.
He really did not know that the young girl of the day was so pretty!

"I don't suppose you smoke a pipe," Di remarked, in a strictly
conversational tone.

"Well, no; I can't say I do. Why?"

"I only thought I should like to light one for you. You know," she
added, confidentially, "girls always light their grandfathers' pipes
in books. And I've had so little practice in that sort of thing!"

"In pipes?"

"No--in grandfathers!"

There came a pause, occupied, on Di's part, by a swift, not altogether
approving survey of the stiff, high-studded room. This time it was the
old gentleman who broke the silence.

[Illustration: "'Good afternoon, Grandfather,' was the apparition's
cheerful greeting."]

"I believe you are the young lady who admired that old clodhopper in
the picture," he remarked.

"Oh, yes; he was a great darling!"

"He wasn't very handsome."

"No, but--there is always something so dear about a grandfather!"

"Always?"

"Yes; always!" and suddenly Di left her seat, and, taking a few steps
forward, she dropped on her knees before him.

"Grandfather," she said, clasping her small gloved hands on his knee,
"Grandfather!"

She was meaning to be very eloquent indeed,--that is, if it were to
become necessary. She did not dream that that one word, so
persuasively spoken, was more eloquent than a whole oration.

"Well, Miss Di?"

"Grandfather, I've a great favour to ask of you, and I should like to
have you say 'yes' beforehand!"

He looked down upon her with a heart rendered surprisingly soft by
that first word,--and a mind much tickled by the audacity of the rest
of it.

"And are you in t