yes!" cried Braddock, hastily cutting him short and shaking
his hand. "I apologize for my suspicions. Now I maintain that you are
innocent."

"And I never believed you to be guilty," cried Hope heartily.

"Thank you both," said Random simply, and, having closed the door, he
returned to a chair near the fire to smoke a pipe, and meditate over his
future movements. "An enemy hath done this," said Random, referring
to the concealment of the manuscript, but he could think of no one who
desired to harm him in any way.

CHAPTER XVIII. RECOGNITION

Lucy and Mrs. Jasher were having a confidential conversation in the
small pink drawing-room. True to her promise, Miss Kendal had come to
readjust matters between the fiery little Professor and the widow. But
it was not an easy task, as Mrs. Jasher was righteously indignant at the
rash words used to her.

"As if I knew anything about the matter," she repeated again and again
in angry tones. "Why, my dear, he as good as told me I had murdered--"

Lucy did not let her finish.

"There! there!" she said, speaking as she would have done to a fretful
child, "you know what my father is."

"It seems to me that I am just beginning to learn," said the widow
bitterly, "and knowing how ready he is to believe ill of me, I think it
is better we should part for ever."

"But you'll never be Lady Braddock."

"Even if I married him, I am not sure that I should be, since I learn
that his brother is singularly healthy and comes of a long-lived family.
And it will not be pleasant to live with your father when he has such a
temper."

"That was only because he was excited. Think of your salon, and of the
position you wish to hold in, London."

"Ah, well," said Mrs. Jasher, visibly softening, "there is something to
be said there. After all, one can never find a man who is perfection.
And a very amiable man is usually a fool. One can't expect a rose to
be without thorns. But really, my dear," she surveyed Lucy with mild
surprise, "you appear to be very anxious that I should marry your
father."

"I want to see my father made comfortable before I marry Archie,"
said the girl with a blush. "Of course my father is quite a child in
household affairs and needs everything done for him. Archie--I am glad
to say--is now in a position to marry me in the spring. I want you to be
married about the same time, and then you can live in Gartley, and--"

"No, my dear," said Mrs. Jasher firmly, "if