from head to foot,
and the inspection appeared to please him.

"Mike," he said, in his loud, deafish voice, "I am going to cure you of
your vertigo."

"Whin, dear Mister Salter."

"Perhaps to-morrow," remarked Duff Salter significantly. "I shall have a
man here who will either confer it on you permanently or cure you
instantly."

Duff Salter put on his hat, took his stick, and drew the curtains down.

Mike was sitting at the writing table arranging some models of vessels
and steam tugs as his employer turned at the doorway and looked back,
and, with a countenance more waggish than exasperated, Duff Salter shook
his cane at the unobservant Irishman, and sagely gestured with his head.

Agnes was about to take the head of the tea-table as he came down the
stairs.

"No," motioned Duff Salter, and pointed out of doors.

He gave a slight examination to Agnes, so delicate as to be almost
unnoticed, though she perceived it.

Duff sat at the tea side and wrote on his tablets:

"How is little Podge coming on?"

"Growing better," replied Agnes, "but she will be unfit to teach her
school for months. Kind friends have sent her many things."

Duff Salter waited a little while, and wrote:

"I wish I could leave everybody happy behind me when I go away."

"Are you going soon?"

"I am going at once," wrote Duff Salter with a sudden decision. "I am
not trusted by anybody here, and my work is over."

Agnes sat a little while in pain and wistfulness. Finally she wrote:

"There is but one thing which prevents our perfect trust in you; it is
your distrust of us."

"I _am_ distrustful--too much so," answered, in writing, the deaf man.
"A little suspicion soon overspreads the whole nature, and yet, I think,
one can be generous even with suspicion. Among the disciples were a
traitor, a liar, a coward, and a doubter; but none upbraid the last,
poor Thomas, and he is sainted in our faith. Do you know that suspicion
made me deaf? Yes; if we mock Nature with distrust, she stops our ears.
Do you not remember what happened to Zacharias, the priest? He would not
believe the angel who announced that his wife would soon become a
mother, and for his unbelief was stricken dumb!"

The deaf guest had either stumbled into this illustration, or written it
with full design. He looked at Agnes, and the pale and purple colors
came and went upon her face as she bent her body forward over the table.
Duff Salter arose and spoke with that lo