hambers,
besides a large dining-room and parlor. But it would cost eight thousand
dollars to complete the building and furnish the house; and being a
prudent man, he decided not to carry out the project till his funds were
considerably increased.

About the middle of October the steamer brought to Rockhaven a woman,
apparently about forty years of age, who registered her name at the
Cliff House as Miss Sarah Liverage. Though it was certain, from her own
confession, that she had never been there before, she seemed to know all
about the hotel, and all the persons connected with it. She was a
plain-looking woman, well, but not richly, dressed, and her speech
indicated that she was not a cultivated person. There was nothing
remarkable about her, except her knowledge of the hotel, and a certain
excitement in her manner, which indicated that she had come to Rockhaven
for a special purpose, which, however, she was not forward in revealing.
She followed the landlord into the office, though he insisted upon
showing her into the parlor. She wrote her name in the register, and
then astonished Mr. Bennington and Leopold by asking to have the room
which had formerly been occupied by Harvey Barth assigned to her.

"That is not one of the rooms we usually give to ladies, and we can do
better for you," replied the landlord.

"I'd rather have that room, if it don't make any difference to you,"
replied Miss Liverage.

"Certainly you can have it, if you want it, for it is not occupied."

"I shall be much obliged to you if you will let me have it."

"You knew Harvey Barth, I suppose," said the landlord, as Leopold, who
often conducted guests to their rooms, picked up the small valise, which
was her only baggage.

"Well, yes; I ought to know him. I took care of him in the hospital
three weeks before he died," replied Miss Liverage, confidently.

"Is he dead?" asked Mr. Bennington, startled by the announcement.

"Yes, sir; he died about a fortnight ago."

"It is only six weeks since he left here," added Leopold, who was even
more shocked than his father at the news.

"We didn't hear a word from him after he left Rockland," continued Mr.
Bennington. "I'm sure I didn't think he was so near his end, though I
saw that he couldn't live very long."

"I thought he would be able to get out again, till the very day he died.
He ate a hearty dinner, for a sick man, and then was taken with
bleeding at the lungs, and died right off. I went