ng closed, the idea
of the others having made their exit by that way did not occur to him.

"Where's the woman who brought that card, Sam?" spoke up Miss Fithian.
"Ask her in. She will bear evidence to the truth of my charge."

"Why, miss," replied Sam, "dat a' woman acted de mos' curusest you ebber
see. She done come to de do' an' stan' dah, till she see dat a' Mistah
Honey come a-shootin' out de dinin'-room do' an' fro' de front do' like
he done gone mad. She scrunch herself clus agin de wall fo' to let him
pahs, an' he go by like de bird an' nebber see her. Den she scoot out
an' scuttle off, like de debble he after her, in jes' de udder way what
he didn't took."

"Strange!" commented Mrs. Wildfen, and looked disappointed when no
familiar voice responded, "No, it isn't." The silence and the empty
chair beside her quickly reminded her that her contradictor was
gone--perhaps forever.

IV.

CHRISTMAS.

When Rutherford, in a white heat of wrath, rushed from the house, he
found Plowden in the garden, jumping from one foot to the other with an
agility surprising in a man of his age, and vigorously slapping his
sides with his arms, as if embracing an invisible friend.

"What are you doing?" asked the lawyer.

"Trying to keep myself warm. Why do you follow me?"

"Because I was ordered to--"

"It is useless; leave me to my fate."

"Hello! Who's that?" exclaimed Rutherford, as he caught the sound of a
man's running. "Hello!"

"'Ullo, yourself," came back in the unmistakable English accent of
Honey, who quickly came up, panting.

"It's Bow-Bells," said Rutherford. "Why are you running so?"

"To keep warm. I've run hup an' down the road, hand I cawn't see no
signs of hany hinn or public."

"No; there is none near. But come with me. I am still your host, and I
think I can make you at least measurably comfortable for the night in
the billiard-house."

As they eagerly started to follow Rutherford, glad of any shelter, a
voice was heard behind them hallooing, "Hi, there!" and brought them to
a halt.

"Ha! ha!" laughed Rutherford, "if it isn't Wildfen! There has evidently
been a general mutiny among the women."

"Where are you all going?" asked Wildfen, joining them. "Take me along,
wherever it is."

"Come on quickly, then," replied Rutherford, leading the way, like the
captain of a small skirmishing party, to the billiard-house.

It seemed by the flickering light of a match rather a bare, desolate,
cheer