e the word?"

Madam stood up. She was so happy in her letter that she cared not what
else might happen. Besides, it was impossible to avoid sharing the
enthusiasm shining in the face of her lifelong friend.

"Eunice, you are positively as childish as Katharine herself. But do as
you please, do as you please. All the world is welcome to the Mansion
now that it's honor has come home! And, servantless almost as I am, I
can comfortably feel that there is no room, nor closet even, in the old
place that is not fit for the inspection of every Marsden housewife.
Yes, thank God! I have never felt myself demeaned by any household task
that presented, and cleanliness is part of pure religion. Do as you
like, dear, do as you like."

This was glorious! All Marsden felt that the night held too much of
wonder to be true. After the party, after the restoration of the brass
bound box, after Nathan Pettijohn's rehabilitation, after the
establishment of Verplanck Sturtevant's innocence, after Moses'
nomination, after the fine feast, to be admitted, to visit and
examine--nay, more, authorized to pry into the famous but exclusive
Mansion--Well, words simply failed.

The elders in that astonishing procession conducted themselves more
hilariously than their children. Each armed with a grinning Jack, and
somebody driving Whitey as a snowy guide, they marched two abreast down
Marsden thoroughfare, into the Mansion grounds, through the wide
entrance hospitably thrown open, into and over the house as will or
curiosity dictated.

But everywhere with eager eyes, searching, hoping for the stately
impoverished mistress of the Mansion that her treasures might be found.

Only the most nimble followed Monty and Katharine up the queer stairs of
the "old part" into the chamber under the eaves where soldiers had once
lain hidden. But even they, with their gleaming Jacks, were sufficient
to set the whole low room aglow, yet was there no longer need for
search.

The wind, which had done such devastation in the town, which had blown a
welcome tramp back to his native haunts, had done even more. It had
revealed the secret of years. Part of the chimney lay heaped on the
floor, and among the fallen bricks and stones appeared a big tin box. A
most ordinary box, such as many people use for insignificant belongings.

Somebody dubiously suggested that "It might be _it_!"

[Illustration: "EACH ARMED WITH A GRINNING JACK, AND SOMEBODY DRIVING
WHITEY AS A SN