"Fellow creatures in distress?" repeated Mrs. De Peyster.

"I was passing," said he, "and chanced to overhear you say a moment
since that you simply had to have money."

Mrs. De Peyster's face filled with suspicion. "You have been listening
all the while?"

"Possibly," said Mr. Pyecroft, with the same bland smile.

"Eavesdropper!"

His smile did not alter. "I did not hear very much, really. Miss
Thompson, may I beg the favor of a few minutes with you alone?"

"Most certainly not!"

"I am sure when you learn what it is, Miss Thompson, you would prefer
that it be between yourself and myself."

"Matilda, don't go!"

He shrugged his shoulders pleasantly. "I had really hoped that the
matter might be between just you and me, Miss Thompson. However, if
you prefer Miss Perkins"--Matilda's name at Mrs. Gilbert's--"to be
present, yours is the right to command. Shall we be seated?"

Matilda had already subsided upon her couch. Mrs. De Peyster sank into
one of the chairs. The Reverend Mr. Pyecroft drew the other up to face
her and sat down.

"Miss Thompson," he began, "I have a very serious proposition to lay
before you."

Mrs. De Peyster shrank away. An awful premonition burst upon her. It
was coming! This impudent, pompous, philandering clergyman was about
to propose to her! To _her!_ She gave a swift horrified glance at
Matilda, who gave back a look of sympathetic understanding.

Then Mrs. De Peyster's horror at the indignity changed to horror
of quite another sort; for the Reverend Mr. Pyecroft was leaning
confidentially close to her, eyes into hers, and was saying in a low
voice:--

"I suppose, Miss Thompson, you are not aware how much you look like a
certain great lady, a famous social leader? To be explicit, like Mrs.
De Peyster?"

She sank back, mere jelly with a human contour. So she was discovered!
She rolled her eyes wildly toward Matilda; Matilda rolled wild eyes
toward her.

"It is really a remarkable likeness," went on the low voice of the
Reverend Mr. Pyecroft. "I've seen Mrs. De Peyster, you know; not more
than six yards away; and the likeness struck me the very moment I
saw you. You haven't the grand-duchess dignity she had on when I saw
her--say, but you should have seen the figure she made!--but it's
a wonderful coincidence. Dressed right, and with some lofty spirit
pumped into you, you could pass anywhere as Mrs. De Peyster, provided
they did not know Mrs. De Peyster too intimately. Tha