I'll die right here, but I will not go with you."

But the smirking Humphreys moved toward her, speaking soothingly, and
assuring her that there was some mistake. Julia dashed past him into the
parlor and laid hold of her father's arm.

"Father, protect me from that--that--spider! I hate him!"

Mr. Anderson stood irresolute a moment and looked appealingly to his
wife for a signal. She solved the difficulty herself. On the whole she
had concluded not to die of heart-disease until she saw Julia married to
suit her taste, and having found a hill she could not go through, she
went round. Seizing Julia's arm with more of energy than affection, she
walked off with her, or rather walked her off, in a sulky silence, while
Mr. Anderson kept Humphreys company.

I thought best to keep August standing in the door of Julia's room all
this time while I explained these things to you, so that you might
understand what follows. In reality August did not stop at all, but
walked out into the hall and into difficulty.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE ENCOUNTER.

Just before August came out of the door of Julia's room he had heard
Humphreys enter his room on the opposite side of the hall. Humphreys had
lighted his cigar and was on his way to the porch to smoke off his
discomfiture when he met August coming out of Julia's door on the
opposite side of the hall. The candle in Humphreys's room threw its
light full on August's face, there was no escape from recognition, and
Wehle was too proud to retreat. He shut the door of Julia's room and
stood with back against the wall staring at Humphreys, who did not
forget to smile in his most aggravating way.

"Thief! thief!" called Humphreys.

In a moment Mrs. Anderson and Julia ran up the stairs, followed by Mr.
Anderson, who hearing the outcry had left the matter of the Apocalypse
unsettled, and by Jonas and Cynthy Ann, who had just arrived.

"I knew it," cried Mrs. Anderson, turning on the mortified Julia, "I
never knew a Dutchman nor a foreigner of any sort that wouldn't steal.
Now you see what you get by taking a fancy to a Dutchman. And now _you_
see"--to her husband--"what _you_ get by taking a Dutchman into your
house. I always wanted you to hire white men and not Dutchmen
nor thieves!"

"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Anderson," said August, with very white lips,
"I am not a thief."

"Not a thief, eh? What was he doing, Mr. Humphreys, when you first
detected him?"

"Coming out of Miss Ander