"Yes," says she, lettin' her chin drop, "Mrs. Marston."

"Very unfortunate," says Pinckney, "very!"

"Haw, haw, haw!" breaks out the strange gent, slappin' his knee. "I say
now, but that's a good one, that is, even if it is at my expense!
Unfortunate, eh? Perfectly true though, perfectly true!"

Now it takes a lot to get Pinckney going; but for a minute all he does is
turn and size up this husband party with the keen sense of humor. I had
my mouth open and my eyes bugged too; for he don't look the part at all.
Why, he's dressed neat and expensive, a little sporty maybe, for a real
gent; but he carries it off well.

"Glad to have your assurance that I was right," says Pinckney, still
givin' him the frosty eye.

"Oh, don't mention it," says Mr. Marston. "And I trust you will overlook
my butting in here to see Kitty--er, Mrs. Marston. Little matter of
sentiment and--well, business, you know. I don't think it will happen
often."

"I am quite sure it won't," says Pinckney. "And now, if the interview has
been finished, I would suggest that----"

"Oh, certainly, certainly!" says Marston, edging towards the door. "Allow
me, gentlemen, to bid you good-day. And I say, Kit, don't forget that
little matter. By-by."

Honest, if I could make as slick a backout as that, without carryin' away
anybody's footprint, I'd rate myself a headliner among the trouble
dodgers. Pinckney, though, don't seem to appreciate such talents.

"That settles governess No. 1," says he as we starts for the elevator
again. "We are beginning the series well."

That was before he saw how smooth she got along with Jack and Jill. After
she'd given an exhibition of kid trainin' that was a wonder, he remarked
that possibly he might as well let her stay the week out.

"But of course," says he, "she will have to go. Hanged if I understand
how Mrs. Purdy-Pell happened to send her here, either! Shorty, do you
suppose Sadie could throw any light on this case?"

"I'll call for a report," says I.

Does Sadie know anything about the Marstons? Well, rather! Says she told
me all about 'em at the time too; but if she did it must have got by.
Anyway, this was just a plain, simple case of a worthless son marryin'
the fam'ly governess and bein' thrown out for it by a stern parent, same
as they always are in them English novels Sadie's forever readin'.

The Marstons was Madison-ave. folks, which means that their back yard was
bounded on the west by the smart se