mind the bright-faced, and
somewhat plump young person walking beside him with the thin-faced girl
in black whom he had seen behind the cashier's desk.

"Now," said she, with a vivacious little laugh, "I have poured out my
whole soul before you, and, in return, I want you to gratify a curiosity
which is fairly eating me up. Why were you so anxious to find my Cousin
Junius? And how did you happen to come here the very day after he
arrived? And, more than that, how was it that you had seen him at
Midbranch so recently? You were talking about it last night. It couldn't
have been my letter from Howlett's that brought you down here?"

"No," said Lawrence, "my meeting with Mr Keswick at Midbranch was
entirely accidental. When I arrived there, a few days ago, I had no
reason to suppose that I should meet him. But I must ask you to excuse
me from giving my reasons for wishing to find your cousin, and for
coming to see him here. The matter between us has now become one of no
importance, and will be dropped."

The lady's face flushed. "Oh, indeed!" she said. And during the short
remainder of their walk to the house she made no further remark.

CHAPTER XIV.

When Lawrence and his companion reached the house, they found on the
porch Mrs Keswick and her nephew; and, after a little general
conversation, the latter remarked to Mr Croft that he had found it would
not be in his power to attend to that matter he had spoken of; to which
Croft replied that he was very much obliged to him for thinking of it,
and that it was of no consequence at all, as he would probably make
other arrangements. He then stated that he would be obliged to return to
the Green Sulphur Springs that day, and that, as it was a long ride, he
would like to start as soon as his horse could be brought to him. But
this procedure was condemned utterly by the old lady, who insisted that
Mr Croft should not leave until after dinner, which meal should be
served earlier than usual in order to give him plenty of time to get to
the Springs before dark, and as Lawrence had nothing to oppose to her
very urgent protest, he consented to stay. Before dinner was ready he
found out why the protest was made. The old lady took him aside and made
inquiries of him in regard to Mr Null. He had already informed her that
he was not acquainted with that gentleman, but she thought, as Mr Croft
seemed to be going about the country a good deal, he might possibly meet
with her niec