predict warmly that Mrs. Blyth would be delighted with it.

"Zack," he said, speaking in an undertone to young Thorpe, who had been
listening to Mat's last speech, and observing his production of the fan,
in silent curiosity and surprise. "Zack, I'll run up stairs with the fan
to Lavvie at once, so as not to seem careless about your friend's gift.
Mind you do the honors of the supper table with proper hospitality,
while I am away."

Speaking these words, Mr. Blyth bustled out of the room as nimbly as
usual. A minute or two after his departure, Mat put his hand into his
pocket once more; mysteriously approached young Thorpe, and opened
before him the paper containing the Indian tobacco pouch, which was made
of scarlet cloth, and was very prettily decorated with colored beads.

"Do you think the young woman would fancy this for a kind of plaything?"
he asked.

Zack, with a shout of laughter, snatched the pouch out of his hands,
and began to rally his friend more unmercifully than ever. For the first
time, Mat seemed to be irritated by the boisterous merriment of which he
was made the object; and cut his tormentor short quite fiercely, with a
frown and an oath.

"Don't lose your temper, you amorous old savage!" cried Zack, with
incorrigible levity. "I'll take your pouch upstairs to the Beloved
Object; and, if Blyth will let her have it, I'll bring her down here to
thank you for it herself!" Saying this, young Thorpe ran laughing out of
the room, with the scarlet pouch in his hand.

Mat listened intently till the sound of Zack's rapid footsteps died away
upstairs--then walked quickly and softly down the studio to the garden
door--gently unlocked it--gently drew the bolts back--gently opened it,
and ascertained that it could also be opened from without, merely by
turning the handle--then, quietly closing it again, left it, to all
appearance, as fast for the night as before; provided no one went near
enough, or had sufficiently sharp eyes, to observe that it was neither
bolted nor locked.

"Now for the big chest!" thought Mat, taking the false key out of his
pocket, and hastening back to the bureau. "If Zack or the Painter Man
come down before I've time to get at the drawer inside, I've made sure
of my second chance with the garden door."

He had the key in the lock of the bureau, as this thought passed
through his mind. He was just about to turn it, when the sound of
rapidly-descending footsteps upon the stairs st