our distrust is driving at; you suspect the designs of
being pasted on."

"There is such a test as water," suggested Alick.

"I should be ashamed to return the proof to its master, bearing traces
of unjust suspicion."

"If the suspicion you impute to me be unjust, the water will produce no
effect at all."

"And you engage to retract all your distrust and contempt, if you are
convinced that this engraving is genuine?"

"I do," he answered steadily.

With irritated magnanimity Rachel dipped her finger into the vase
of flowers on the table, and let a heavy drop of water fall upon the
cottage scene. The centre remained unaltered, and she looked round in
exultation, saying, "There, now I suppose I may wipe it off."

Neither spoke, and she applied her pocket handkerchief. What came
peeling away under her pressure? It was the soft paper, and as she was
passing the edge of the figure of the girl, she found a large smear
following her finger. The peculiar brown of Indian ink was seen upon her
handkerchief, and when she took it up a narrow hem of white had become
apparent between the girl's head and its surroundings. Neither spectator
spoke, they scarcely looked at her, when she took another drop from the
vase, and using it more boldly found the pasted figure curling up and
rending under her hand, lines of newspaper type becoming apparent, and
the dark cloud spreading around.

"What does it mean?" was her first exclamation; then suddenly turning on
Ermine, "Well, do you triumph?"

"I am very, very sorry," said Ermine.

"I do not know that it is come to that yet," said Rachel, trying to
collect herself. "I may have been pressing too hard for results." Then
looking at the mangled picture again as they wisely left her to herself,
"But it is a deception! A deception! Oh! he need not have done it! Or,"
with a lightened look and tone of relief, "suppose he did it to see
whether I should find it out?"

"He is hardly on terms with you for that," said Ermine; while Alick
could not refrain from saying, "Then he would be a more insolent
scoundrel than he has shown himself yet."

"I know he is not quite a gentleman," said Rachel, "and nothing else
gives the instinct of the becoming. You have conquered, Captain Keith,
if it be any pleasure to you to have given my trust and hope a cruel
shock."

"With little satisfaction to myself," he began to say; but she
continued, "A shock, a shock I say, no more; I do not know what
concl