t on doing
mischief than ever, though he was compelled to change his field of
operations.

And then, after he was gone, a silence fell on the company. Nan appeared
to be in a dazed condition, while Miss Fanny sat looking out of the
window. Margaret, very much subdued, was clinging to Nan, and Neighbour
Tomlin was pacing up and down in the library in a glow of happiness. All
his early dreams had come back to him, and they were true. The romance
of his youth had been changed into a reality.

Margaret was the first to break the silence. She left Nan, and went
slowly to Miss Fanny, and stood by her chair. "What do you think of me?"
she said, in a low voice.

For answer, Miss Fanny rose and placed her arms around the girl, and
held her tightly for a moment, and then kissed her.

"But I do think, my dear," she said with an effort to laugh, "that the
matter might have been arranged without frightening us to death."

"I had no thought of frightening you. Oh, I am afraid I had no thought
for anything but my own troubles. Did you know? Did you guess?"

"I knew about Pulaski, but I had to go away from home to learn the news
about you. Madame Awtry called my attention to it, and then with my
eyes upon, I could see a great many things that were not visible
before."

"Why, how could she know?" cried Margaret. "I have talked with her not
more than a half dozen times."

"She is a very wise woman," Miss Fanny remarked, by way of explanation.

"Well, when I get in love, I'll not visit Madame Awtry," said Nan.

"My dear, you have been there once too often," Miss Fanny declared.

"Why, what has she been telling you?" inquired Nan, blushing very red.

"I'll not disclose your secrets, Nan," answered Miss Fanny.

"I would thank you kindly, if I had any," said Nan.

And then, suddenly, while Margaret was standing with her arms around
Miss Fanny, she began to blush and show signs of embarrassment.

"Nan," she said, "will you take a boarder for--for--for I don't know how
long?"

"Not for long, Nan. Say a couple of weeks." It was Neighbour Tomlin who
spoke, as he came out of the library.

"Oh, for longer than that," protested Margaret.

"You must remember that I am getting old, child," he said very solemnly.

"So am I, sir," she said archly. "I am quite as old as you are, I
think."

"This is the first quarrel," Nan declared, "and who knows how it will
all end? You are to come and stay as long as you please, and then after