ering that you had better all five, come and smoke your pipes at
my house this evening, when we shall have time to discuss what must be
done. Come at seven, not later, and you will find my father's old jar
replenished with the best broadcut, and half a dozen churchwarden pipes.
Shall it be so?"

The whole five accepted the invitation eagerly. And they were filing out
when Mr. Carlyle laid his finger on the arm of Justice Hare.

"_You_ will be sure to come, Hare," he whispered. "We could not get on
without you; all heads," with a slight inclination towards those going
out, "are not gifted with the clear good sense of yours."

"Sure and certain," responded the gratified justice; "fire and water
shouldn't keep me away."

Soon after Mr. Carlyle was left alone another clerk entered.

"Miss Carlyle is asking to see you, sir, and Colonel Bethel's come
again."

"Send in Miss Carlyle first," was the answer. "What is it, Cornelia?"

"Ah! You may well ask what? Saying this morning that you could not dine
at six, as usual, and then marching off, and never fixing the hour. How
can I give my orders?"

"I thought business would have called me out, but I am not going now. We
will dine a little earlier, though, Cornelia, say a quarter before six.
I have invited--"

"What's up, Archibald?" interrupted Miss Carlyle.

"Up! Nothing that I know of. I am very busy, Cornelia, and Colonel
Bethel is waiting; I will talk to you at dinner-time. I have invited a
party for to-night."

"A party!" echoed Miss Carlyle.

"Four or five of the justices are coming in to smoke their pipes. You
must put out your father's leaden tobacco-box, and--"

"They shan't come!" screamed Miss Carlyle. "Do you think I'll be
poisoned with tobacco smoke from a dozen pipes?"

"You need not sit in the room."

"Nor they either. Clean curtains are just put up throughout the house,
and I'll have no horrid pipes to blacken them."

"I'll buy you some new curtains, Cornelia, if their pipes spoil these,"
he quietly replied. "And now, Cornelia, I really must beg you to leave
me."

"When I have come to the bottom of this affair with Barbara Hare,"
resolutely returned Miss Corny, dropping the point of the contest as to
the pipes. "You are very clever, Archie, but you can't do me. I asked
Barbara what she came here for; business for mamma, touching money
matters, was her reply. I ask you: to hear your opinion about the scrape
the bench have got into, is yours. No