from his guardian.

"What is it, Caroline?" demanded Captain Elisha. "_Has_ anything
happened?"

The girl looked coldly at him. A new brooch--Mrs. Corcoran Dunn's
birthday gift--sparkled at her throat.

"No accident has happened, if that is what you mean," she said.

"But--why, yes, that was what I meant. You was so awful late, and you
know you said you'd be home for dinner, so--"

"I changed my mind. Come, Steve."

She turned to leave the room. Pearson, at that moment, entered it.
Stephen saw him first.

"_What_?" he cried. "Well, of all the nerve! Look, Caro!"

"Jim--Mr. Pearson, I mean--ran in a few minutes ago," explained Captain
Elisha, bewildered and stammering. "He thought of course we'd had dinner
and--and--he just wanted to wish you many happy returns, Caroline."

Pearson had extended his hand and a "Good evening" was on his lips.
Stephen's strange behavior and language caused him to halt. He flushed,
awkward, surprised, and indignant.

Caroline turned and saw him. She started, and her cheeks also grew
crimson. Then, recovering, she looked him full in the face, and
deliberately and disdainfully turned her back.

"Come, Steve!" she said again, and walked from the room.

Her brother hesitated, glared at Pearson, and then stalked haughtily
after her.

Captain Elisha's bewilderment was supreme. He stared, open-mouthed,
after his nephew and niece, and then turned slowly to his friend.

"What on earth, Jim," he stammered. "What's it _mean_?"

Pearson shrugged his shoulders. "I think I know what it means," he said.
"I presume that Miss Warren and her brother have learned of my trouble
with their father."

"Hey? No! you don't think _that's_ it."

"I think there's no doubt of it."

"But how?"

"I don't know how. What I do know is that I should not have come here. I
felt it and, if you will remember, I said so. I was a fool. Good night,
Captain."

Hot and furiously angry at his own indecision which had placed him in
this humiliating situation, he was striding towards the hall. Captain
Elisha seized his arm.

"Stay where you are, Jim!" he commanded. "If the trouble's what you
think it is, I'm more to blame than anybody else, and you sha'n't leave
this house till I've done my best to square you."

"Thank you; but I don't wish to be 'squared.' I've done nothing to be
ashamed of, and I have borne as many insults as I can stand. I'm going."

"No, you ain't. Not yet. I want you to stay."

At th