ing?' said a voice outside the door, ever
ajar, a voice that made Lucilla clasp her hands in ecstasy.

'You, Owen! come in,' cried Horatia, writhing herself up.

'Owen, old Owen! that's right,' burst from Cilla, as she sprang to him.

'Right! Ah! that is not the greeting I expected; I was thinking how to
guard my eyes. So, you have had enough of the unprotected dodge! What
has Rashe been doing to herself? A desperate leap down the falls of
Niagara.'

Horatia was diffuse in the narration; but, after the first, Lucy did not
speak. She began by arming herself against her brother's derision, but
presently felt perplexed by detecting on his countenance something
unwontedly grave and preoccupied. She was sure that his attention was
far away from Rashe's long story, and she abruptly interrupted it with,
'How came you here, Owen?'

He did not seem to hear, and she demanded, 'Is anything the matter? Are
you come to fetch us because any one is ill?'

Starting, he said, 'No, oh no!'

'Then what brought you here? a family council, or Honor Charlecote?'

'Honor Charlecote,' he repeated mistily: then, making an effort, 'Yes,
good old soul, she gave me a vacation tour on condition that I should
keep an eye on you. Go on, Rashe; what were you saying?'

'Didn't you hear me, Owen? Why, Calthorp, the great Calthorp, is in our
wake. Cilly is frantic.'

'Calthorp about!' exclaimed Owen, with a start of dismay. 'Where?'

'I've disposed of him,' quoth Lucilla; 'he'll not trouble us again.'

'Which way is he gone?'

'I would not tell you if I knew.'

'Don't be such an idiot,' he petulantly answered; 'I want nothing of the
fellow, only to know whether he is clean gone. Are you sure whether he
went by Bray?'

'I told you I neither knew nor cared.'

'Could you have believed, Owen,' said Rashe, plaintively, 'that she was
so absurd as never even to tell him to inquire for our boxes?'

'Owen knows better;' but Lucilla stopped, surprised to see that his
thoughts were again astray. Giving a constrained smile, he asked, 'Well,
what next?'

'To find our boxes,' they answered in a breath.

'Your boxes? Didn't I tell you I've got them here?'

'Owen, you're a trump,' cried Rashe.

'How on earth did you know about them?' inquired his sister.

'Very simply; crossed from Liverpool yesterday, reconnoitred at your
hotel, was shown your telegram, went to the luggage-office, routed out
that the things were taking a gentle