reproaches until the moment came
when he could acquaint Mr. Galbraith with Snelling's perfidy and see
the injustice righted. It was not an enviable position, the one in
which he stood. He felt it to be only human that in the face of this
acid test the old inventor's affection and allegiance toward him should
waver, and that Janoah would detect and rejoice in its unsteadiness.
But as Bob relied upon ultimately solving the conundrum, he felt he
could endure a short interval of unmerited distrust. It was in Delight
and Tiny, who were unconscious of any false note in his relation to the
household, that he placed his hopes for aid. Hence it was with no
small degree of consternation that on reaching Wilton he learned that
the girl had resolved now to return to her own home.

"I have been here over two weeks already," she said to Bob, "and I
really am needed by my own family. They miss me dreadfully when I am
gone. Zenas Henry goes down like a plummet, Abbie says. And then I
have so much to tell them! Besides, now that Aunt Tiny is well again,
there is no use in my remaining."

"There is a great deal of use in it for me!" asserted the young man
moodily.

"Nonsense! You and Willie have your work, and in a day or two you will
be so buried in it you won't know whether I am here or not."

"Delight!"

A warning echo in the word and a quick forward movement caused her to
add hurriedly:

"And--and--anyway, you can come up to our house and see me there. You
will like the three captains and Abbie, you simply can't help it; they
are dears! And you will worship Zenas Henry--at least you will if he
is--I mean sometimes he doesn't--well, you know how older men feel when
younger ones appear. He is very devoted to me and he is always
afraid-- But I am sure he will understand, and that you and he will
get on beautifully together," she concluded with scarlet cheeks.

The clumsy explanation had a dubious ring and Bob frowned.

"You see, your being Aunt Tiny's nephew will help some; he likes her
very much. And of course any friend of Willie's and--and--of mine--"

With every word the formidable Zenas Henry increased in formidableness.
She saw the scowl deepen.

"You will come and see me, won't you?" she pleaded timidly. "I should
be sorry if--"

Robert Morton caught the slender hand and held it firmly.

"I'll come were there a thousand Zenas Henrys!"

"That's nice!" she answered with a nervous laugh. "There won't