ltogether right?"

She did not answer for a few moments, and then she said: "I suppose you
must consider me a very deceptive sort of person, but you should
remember that these things were not done for my own good, and, as far as
I can see, they were the only things that could be done. Do you suppose
I was going to let you pounce down on my cousin and do him some injury,
for, as you kept your object such a secret, I did not suppose it could
be anything but an injury you intended him."

"A fine opinion of me!" said Croft.

"And then, do you suppose," she continued, "that I would allow my aunt
to quarrel with Junius and disinherit him, as she says she will, should
he decline to marry me. I expected to drop my married name when I came
here, but I had not been with my aunt fifteen minutes before I saw that
it would never do for me to be a single woman while I stayed with her;
and so I kept my Freddy by me. I did not intend, at all, to tell you all
these things about my cousin, and I only did it because I did not wish
you to think that I was a sly, mean creature, deceiving others for my
own good."

"Well," said Croft, "although I can't say you are right in making your
relatives believe you are married when you are not, still I see you had
very fair reasons for what you did, and you certainly showed a great
deal of ingenuity and pluck in carrying out your remarkable schemes.
By-the-way," he continued, somewhat hesitatingly, "I am in your debt for
your services to me."

"Not a bit of it!" she exclaimed quickly. "I never did a thing for you.
It was all for myself, or, rather, for my cousin. The only money due was
that which you paid to Mr Candy before I took charge of the matter."
Lawrence felt that this was rather a sore subject with his companion,
and he dropped it. "Do you still hold the position of cashier in the
Information Shop?"

"No," she said. "When I started out on my lonely wedding tour I gave up
that, and if I should go back to New York, I do not think I should want
to take it again.".

"Do you propose soon to return to New York?" he asked.

"No; at least I have made no plans in regard to it. I think it would
grieve my aunt very much if I were to go away from her now, and as long
as I have Mr Null to protect me from her matrimonial schemes, I am glad
to stay with her. She is very kind to me."

"I think you are entirely right in deciding to stay here," he said,
looking around at her, and contrasting in his