the professor dropped himself into a chair, and took
up a book.

"Oh, stop, I want to speak to you a minute, uncle." cried Jacquelina,
starting up and flying after him, and as she flew, pulling out her
handkerchief and letting the note drop upon the floor. A swift, sly,
backward glance showed that Grim had pounced upon it like a panther on
its prey.

"What in the d----l's name are you running after me for?" burst forth
the old man as Jacko overtook him.

"Why, uncle, I want to know if you'll please to give orders in the
stable to have the carriage wheels washed off nicely? They neglect it.
And I and Marian want to use it this afternoon."

"Go to the deuce! Is that my business?"

Jacquelina laughed; and, quivering through every fibre of her frame with
mischief, went back into the drawing-room to see the state of Grim.

To Jacquelina's surprise she found the note lying upon the same spot
where she had dropped it. Dr. Grimshaw was standing with his back toward
her, looking out of the window. She could not see the expression of his
countenance. She stooped and picked up the note, but had scarcely
replaced it in her pocket before Dr. Grimshaw abruptly turned, walked up
and stood before her and looked in her face. Jacquelina could scarcely
suppress a scream; it was as if a ghost had come before her, so blanched
was his color, so ghastly his features. An instant he gazed into her
eyes, and then passed out and went up-stairs. Jacquelina turned slowly
around, looking after him like one magnetized. Then recovering herself,
with a deep breath she said:

"Now I ask of all the 'powers that be' generally, what's the meaning of
that? He picked up the note and he read it; that's certain. And he
dropped it there again to make me believe he had never seen it; that's
certain, too. I wonder what he means to do! There'll be fun of some
sort, anyway! Stop! here comes Marian from the quarters. I shouldn't
wonder if she has missed her note, and hurried back in search of it.
Come! I'll take a hint from Grim, and drop it where I found it, and say
nothing."

And so soliloquizing, the fairy glided back into the breakfast-room, let
the note fall, and turned away just in time to allow Marian to enter,
glance around, and pick up her lost treasure. Then joining Marian, she
invited her up-stairs to look at some new finery just come from the city.

The forenoon passed heavily at Luckenough. When the dinner hour
approached, and the family col