dus operandi_?"

"The what? Talk English, please."

"How do you go at it?" Archie sat down on the top step, to talk at his
ease.

"Oh, they go to see poor people, and take them food and soap and
madonnas and fumigate them."

"The madonnas?"

"No, the people. It does them ever so much good. Mrs. Farrington,
Billy's mother, had a friend here that did it, and she told us all about
it."

"I begin to comprehend," Archie said gravely, as he looked down at the
animated face below him. "And does it belong to the plan to bring them
home and hide them in the guests' beds?"

"How was I to know you were here?" Theodora demanded. "Didn't you take
us all by surprise?"

"I meant to surprise Bess, and I rather flatter myself I succeeded. I
say, Miss Teddy, what relation are we, anyhow?"

"Hm-m." Theodora pondered on the matter. "Cousins? No; I suppose you're
my uncle. Uncle Archie. How respectful that sounds!"

Archie made a grimace of disgust.

"It suggests carpet slippers and an ivory-headed cane and a bandanna. I
don't believe I care to be related at all, if that's the way you're
going to work it."

Theodora laughed wickedly. She was keen enough to see that the young man
was nettled by the implied addition to his years, and she was too much
of a tease to allow her opportunity to slip by, unheeded. She gave him a
mocking bow.

"I'm sorry you don't care to claim us, Uncle Archie," she said, as she
rose. "Still, you can't expect us to call mamma's only brother Mr.
Holden."

"Call me Archie, then."

"How disrespectful! No, Uncle Archie is quite nice and proper."

"I won't answer. Where are you going?"

"To do my lessons with Billy. We have a tutor." Theodora spoke with a
sudden air of complacency.

"What a bother! I wanted you. Do you do them, every day?"

"Yes, every morning, only we're generally at Billy's. What did you
want?"

"Nothing much; only I brought on some stuff for Bess and for--my new
nephews and nieces, and I thought, if you weren't busy, I'd bring it
down."

"How lovely! I'll wait."

"Oh, Ted-dy!" Billy's voice, though distant, was emphatic and distinct.
"Do hurry up!"

She gave a longing glance back at the young man at the top of the
stairway.

"I can't wait," she said regretfully. "I don't want to go; but--it's
Billy, you see."

Archie liked her loyalty.

"No matter; they can wait till noon. Farewell, my niece, and mind your
teacher."

"I will, Uncle Archie."

Two months before