w he'd marry a squatter girl," he said presently.
"He won't, if I get her once to Ithaca!"

The mention of Brimbecomb's college town and birthplace brought a new
train of thought to the lawyer.

"Have you lived in Ithaca many years?" he demanded.

"Yep."

"The first thing I shall do," said the attorney deliberately, "is to
make a formal demand upon Mr. Shellington in your name, and get his
answer. Please remain in town where I can see you, and if anything comes
up I shall write you."

Lon gave him the address of a man near the river, and Everett allowed
his client to go. Some force within him had almost impelled him to ask
the squatter concerning Screech Owl, and he breathed more freely when he
thought that he had not given way to the temptation to learn something
about his own people.

* * * * *

At eight o'clock that evening Everett met Mr. and Mrs. Brimbecomb at the
station. He could not comprehend the feeling that his foster parents had
become strangers to him. He kissed his mother, shook hands with Mr.
Brimbecomb, and followed them into the carriage.

He went to bed content with the knowledge that their steamer would sail
two days later, and that for six months he would be alone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"I can't understand why Horace wants to keep those children
indefinitely," said Governor Vandecar to his wife one evening. "It seems
their own father has turned up and asked for them."

"Is Horace going to let him have them?"

"Not without a fight, I fear. He talked to me about it, and seemed
perfectly decided to keep them. I told him to take no steps until papers
were served upon him."

"Can they keep them, Floyd?"

Mrs. Vandecar had become suddenly interested in Fledra and Floyd.

"I'm sure I don't know," replied the governor. "Such things have to be
threshed out in court, although much will depend upon what the
youngsters wish to do. I fear, though, that Ann and Horace are making
useless trouble for themselves."

"What process will the father have to take to get them?"

"Have _habeas corpus_ papers issued. It will be a nuisance; but I did
not try to change his mind, because he was so earnest about it."

"So is Ann," replied Mrs. Vandecar, "and then, Dear, I always think
their kindness to those poor little children might make the little dears
useful in life sometime. Mildred says they are very pretty and sweet."

"Well, as I said before, it's strange th