ame. But I don't know what it is, because I've
been up on Eagle Ridge ever since the early morning."

"I don't know where you've been this morning, but I know you were here
in this library yesterday; and it was you that went home and told your
cousin the books were in bad shape, and brought her round to see how I'd
neglected them."

Young Harney looked sincerely concerned. "Was that what you were told?
I don't wonder you're angry. The books are in bad shape, and as some are
interesting it's a pity. I told Miss Hatchard they were suffering from
dampness and lack of air; and I brought her here to show her how easily
the place could be ventilated. I also told her you ought to have some
one to help you do the dusting and airing. If you were given a wrong
version of what I said I'm sorry; but I'm so fond of old books that
I'd rather see them made into a bonfire than left to moulder away like
these."

Charity felt her sobs rising and tried to stifle them in words. "I don't
care what you say you told her. All I know is she thinks it's all my
fault, and I'm going to lose my job, and I wanted it more'n anyone in
the village, because I haven't got anybody belonging to me, the way
other folks have. All I wanted was to put aside money enough to get away
from here sometime. D'you suppose if it hadn't been for that I'd have
kept on sitting day after day in this old vault?"

Of this appeal her hearer took up only the last question. "It is an
old vault; but need it be? That's the point. And it's my putting the
question to my cousin that seems to have been the cause of the trouble."
His glance explored the melancholy penumbra of the long narrow room,
resting on the blotched walls, the discoloured rows of books, and the
stern rosewood desk surmounted by the portrait of the young Honorius.
"Of course it's a bad job to do anything with a building jammed against
a hill like this ridiculous mausoleum: you couldn't get a good draught
through it without blowing a hole in the mountain. But it can be
ventilated after a fashion, and the sun can be let in: I'll show you
how if you like...." The architect's passion for improvement had
already made him lose sight of her grievance, and he lifted his stick
instructively toward the cornice. But her silence seemed to tell him
that she took no interest in the ventilation of the library, and turning
back to her abruptly he held out both hands. "Look here--you don't mean
what you said? You don't really