assed slowly
down the whole length of the corridor without, came to their ears with
almost startling distinctness.

Then he appeared in the doorway, where he stood turning his eyes from
one to another with a wistful, questioning gaze: then words seemed to
come from his lips in tones of wonder and inquiry.

"What are you all doing here at this time o' night, when honest folk
should be a-bed?"

"Just what I've been asking myself for the last hour," gravely remarked
a statue in a niche in the opposite wall.

The effect was startling even to those who understood the thing; more so
to the others, Rosie screamed and ran to her father for protection.

"Why, why, why!" cried old Mr. Dinsmore, in momentary perplexity and
astonishment.

"Don't be afraid Miss Rosie; I'm a faithful friend, and the woman over
there couldn't hurt you if she would," said Bruno, going up to the young
girl, wagging his tail and touching his cold nose to her hand.

She drew it away with another scream.

"Dear child," said her sister, "it is only a trick of ventriloquism."

"Meant to amuse, not alarm," added Mr. Lilburn.

Rosie, nestling in her father's arms, drew a long breath of relief, and
half laughing, half crying, looked up saucily into Mr. Lilburn's face.

"And it was you, sir? oh, how you scared me!"

"I beg your pardon, my bonnie lassie," he said, "I thought to relieve,
somewhat, the tediousness of the hour."

"For which accept our thanks," said Mr. Dinsmore. "But I perceive it is
not the first time that Travilla and Elsie have been witnesses of your
skill."

"No," said Elsie, laughing. "My dear, you are good at a story, tell them
what happened at breakfast this morning."

Mr. Travilla complied with the request. He was an excellent story-teller
and made his narrative very entertaining.

But in the midst of their mirth a sudden awe-struck silence fell upon
them. There was a sound as of the rattling of stiffly starched robes;
then a gruff voice from the hall exclaimed, "There he is, the old
scalawag! Dinsmore too. Now take good aim, Bill, and let's make sure
work."

Rosie was near screaming again, but catching sight of Mr. Lilburn's
face, laughed instead; a little hysterical nervous laugh.

"Oh t's you again, sir!" she cried. "Please don't frighten me any more."

"Ah, no, I will not," he said, and at that moment a toy man and woman
on the table began a vastly amusing conversation about their own private
affairs.

In the ki