and me had, I should imagine I
was entitled to some triflin' explanation. What are you doin' over
here--with HER? Brown--"

The young gentleman came to himself with a start. He walked across to
where Miss Graham was standing, and once more took her hand.

"My name is not Brown," he said firmly. "It is Brooks; and this is the
young lady I am to marry."

He naturally expected his superior to be surprised. As a matter of
fact, he was the surprised party. Seth reached out, drew the bungalow
housekeeper toward him, and put his arm about her waist. Then he
smiled; and the smile was expressive of pride, triumph, and satisfaction
absolute.

"ATKINS!" gasped Brooks.

"My name ain't Atkins," was the astonishing reply; "it's Bascom. And
this," indicating by a tightening of his arm the blushing person at his
side, "is the lady I married over five year ago."

After the stories had been told, after both sides had told theirs and
explained and been exclaimed over and congratulated, after the very last
question had been asked and answered, Brown--or Brooks--asked one more.

"But this other fellow," he queried, "this brother-in-law--By George,
it is perfectly marvelous, this whole business!--where is he? What has
become of him?"

Seth chuckled. "Bennie D.?" he said. "Well, Bennie D. is leavin'
Eastboro on the noon train. I paid his fare and give him fifty dollars
to boot. He's goin' somewhere, but he ain't sartin where. If you asked
me, I should say that, in the end, he'd most likely have to go
where he's never been afore, so far's I ever heard--that's to work.
Now--seein' as the important business has been talked over and
settled--maybe you'll tell me about the lights, and how you got along
last night."

But the lighthouse subject was destined to be postponed for a few
minutes. The person in whose care the Lights had been left during the
past twenty hours or so looked at the speaker, then at the other persons
present, and suddenly began to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Miss Graham. "Why, Russell, what is
it?"

Russell Agnew Brooks, alias "John Brown," ex-substitute assistant at
Eastboro Twin-Lights, sank into a chair, shaking from head to heel.

"It is hysterics," cried Ruth, hastening to his side. "No wonder, poor
dear, considering what he has been through. Hush, Russell! don't, you
frighten me. What IS it?"

Her fiance waved a reassuring hand. "It--it's all right," he gasped.
"I was just laughing at .