t him in all respects
as a son of the house," answered Sybil.

"Lor' bless me! Is that so!" exclaimed the old maid, as her eyes opened
in amazement. "Well, Miss Sybil, I have heard of ladies afore now, being
so angelable as to pervide for their husband's unnateral relations; but
that you should do sich a thing I never would a believed. You're a wery
good child! but your goodness don't lay into that toleratin' line, that
I know."

"What on earth do you mean, Tabby?" sharply demanded Sybil. "I'm shocked
and disgusted at you, that I am."

"Why, what for? You said the boy was to be respected as a son of the
house; and then ag'in, they've both got light hair and blue eyes, and
fair skins," said Miss Winterose, in dismay.

"Tabby, as far as I understand you, I am quite ashamed of you. That boy
is the son of a man who calls himself Captain Inconnu, but whom I
believe to own another name; but no matter about that now; that will
figure in some of the stories that I shall tell you by our evening
fires--Well, what do you want?"

This last question was addressed to a colored boy, who opened the
chamber door and looked in.

"Please, ma'am, I wanted to tell Miss Tabby as dinner was on the table,"
said the child.

"And didn't you know better, you little brute, than to open a lady's
door without knocking? Go down to the kitchen with yourself, this very
instant!" exclaimed Miss Tabby, indignantly.

"Don't scold the child this first day of my return," pleaded Sybil.

"And, lor', now here I have been a keeping on you, child, a-satisfyin'
of my old woman's curiosity, and not even a leaving of you time enough
to dress for dinner," said the old maid, regretfully.

"Dress for dinner!" echoed Sybil, lifting her eye-brows. "I had almost
forgotten such a piece of propriety! I have not dressed for dinner for
nearly two months!"

But for all that, she got up, and went to her toilet glass and smoothed
her hair, and washed her hands, and put on a clean collar.

"That will do for to-day. Now don't look hurt, you good old Tabby, and
I'll promise to-morrow to 'dress up to the nines!'" said Sybil,
laughing, as she tripped out of the room. She was in such good spirits
at being home again, she had for the moment forgotten that she was only
there on sufferance.

"And I had such a splendid dinner got for her, too! With all the
silver-gilt and cut-glass out, and some of the old wine them devils
happened to leave when they robbed the cellar.