ess of their own room.

"Mother can't help herself, dear. She was rich once, but she's
desperately poor now."

"I knew there was trouble about money, of course. There never seems to
be quite enough, but that's been so since I can remember. Why shouldn't
we go on just as we have? What does this cousin of our mother's want of
the place, anyway?"

"I don't know. I don't know him. I hate him unseen."

"So do I. Still, if he's a cousin, he should be fond of mother, and not
bother."

"Amy, we're all a set of simpletons, I guess, as a family, and in
relation to practical matters."

"'Speak for yourself, John.'"

"That isn't all. There's something--something wrong with father."

"Hallam Kaye! Now I do believe you're out of your head. I was afraid you
were, you've talked and acted so queerly. I'm going for Cleena. Is your
face hot? Do you ache more than usual?"

"Don't be silly. I'm as right as I ever shall be. Listen. I found it
all out in the city. Father had gone to some exhibition, and mother and
I were waiting for the time to go to the doctor. A gentleman called, and
I never saw anybody look so frightened and ill as mother did when she
received him, though I knew it wasn't about me. She hadn't hoped for
anything better in that line. She called the man 'Friend Howard Corson,'
and he was very courteous to her; but all of a sudden she cried out:--

"'Don't tell me that the end has come! I can't bear both sorrows in one
day!' And then she looked across at me. I smiled as bravely as I could,
and, Amy, I believe our mother is the very most beautiful woman in this
world."

"Why, of course; and father's the handsomest man."

"Certainly," agreed the lad, with rather more haste than conviction.

"Well, what next?"

Before the answer could be given, there burst upon their ears an
uproarious clamor of angry voices, such as neither had ever heard at
Fairacres; and Amy sprang up in wild alarm, while Hallam groped blindly
for the crutches he had tossed aside.

CHAPTER V.

A KINSMAN OF THE HOUSE.

"It's from the library!" reported Amy, who had first reached and opened
the window. "I can't make out anything except--yes, it is! That's
Fayette's voice. Hear that croak?"

"The foolish boy? Here yet?"

"So it seems. I'll go and find out."

"Wait. That's Cleena talking now, and another voice, a man's. What can
it all mean?"

Amy ran down the stairs and out of the house so swiftly that she did not
observe her