but boldly inform Miss
Emily that dinner was served. Wobbles was just on the point of acting
upon this advice when the library call rang, and he hurried to respond.

"You said this note was left here by a tall man, didn't you, Wobbles?"
said Mr. Maddledock.

"Yezzur," said Wobbles.

"And he said he would call for an answer?"

"Yezzur, at seven be the clock, zur."

"But it's past seven, Wobbles?"

"Yezzur, most 'arf an howr, most 'arf."

"That will do, Wobbles--and yet, stay. Did you ask his name?"

"Yezzur. Hi did, zur, and 'e says, sezee, 'Chops,' sezee, 'you need more
salt,' sezee, 'go back to the gridiron,' sezee."

"Well, that's curious," said Mr. Maddledock; "was he sober?"

"'E 'med be in cups, zur, but they be quiet uns."

"Yes--well, if he calls during dinner, Wobbles, you may show him into
the office and stay with him, Wobbles, until I come."

[Illustration: "'CHOPS,' SEZEE, 'YOU NEEDS MORE SALT!' SEZEE. 'GO BACK
TO THE GRIDIRON,' SEZEE."]

"Yezzur, hexackly, zur, I see, zur. Dinner is served, zur, but Mr.
Torbert be not come. Shall I tell Miss Emily?"

"Yes, to be sure. How absurd of Torbert! Why, it's quite late. When I go
into the parlor, which will be in another minute, Wobbles you may
announce dinner."

Wobbles bowed himself away and Mr. Maddledock sat himself down. He
picked up the note to which he had just referred, and read it through
carefully. Then he rubbed his eyeglass, stroked his nose reflectively,
crumpled the note in his hand, and tossed it into the grate fire before
him. He rose and stood watching it burn. "Only two things are possible,"
he said, quietly. "I must shoot him or pay him, and I don't feel
entirely certain which I'd better do." Then he walked into the parlor.

"You're almost as bad as Mr. Torbert, father," said Miss Maddledock.
"I've been waiting long enough for you, and now we'll all go to dinner."

"Torbert's late, is he?" said Mr. Maddledock, as if this were the first
he had heard of it, bowing gravely to the others. "How's that, Linden?"

"I'm sure I can't account for it at all, sir," answered the young man.
"We took breakfast together, and at that hour he was in full possession
of his faculties. His watch was doing its accustomed duty, and there was
no sign of any such condition in or about him as would suggest the
possibility of preposterous behavior like this."

"Perhaps his business keeps him," said Miss Maddledock amiably.

"Ho, ho," chuckled Mrs. Th