me to Miss Jemima, clear and full. She grasped her brother's
shoulder, and remembered his weakness only just in time to refrain from
giving him a vigorous shake.

"Brother, brother," she cried, "do you understand what your words may
mean?"

"Yes, Jemima--in part, at least. But we must make sure. First we will put
the two shoes together, and see that they really are the same."

"Why, surely, Thomas, you have no doubt?"

"There seems little room for it, indeed; but we cannot make too sure!"

He wanted to give himself time to become accustomed to the great joy which
was dawning on his life.

"You know where the other shoe is, Jemima?"

"Yes, in the safe."

"Yes; and you know that, while I have been up here, Miss Owen has kept the
key of the safe?"

"Yes."

Miss Jemima had undergone much mental chafing by reason of that knowledge.

"Well, will you go to her in the office, and say I wish you to bring me
something out of the safe? She will not know what you bring. She will just
hand you the key, and go on with her work."

"Yes, I will go, brother. But are you sure she knows or suspects nothing?
She may have seen the shoe."

"Oh no; it is well wrapped up, and I am sure she would not touch the
parcel. I can trust my secretary," he added, with a new-born pride.

As Miss Jemima went down stairs, she wondered she had not long ago
lighted on the discovery which her brother had now made. It explained many
things. The tones and gestures which had so often startled her by their
familiarity; the vague feeling that, at some time, she must have known
this young girl before; the growing resemblance--evident to Miss Jemima's
eyes, at least--of the young secretary to "Cobbler" Horn--these things,
which, with many kindred signs, Miss Jemima had hidden in her heart, had
their explanation in the discovery which had just been made.

Miss Owen yielded the key of the safe without question. Though she
appeared to take no notice of Miss Jemima's doings, she knew, as by
instinct, what Miss Jemima was taking out of the safe; and she told
herself that she must not, and would not, let it appear that she supposed
anything unusual was going on. She went on quietly with her work; but it
was by dint of such an effort of self-control, as few human beings have
ever found it necessary to make, or could have made.

As the result of the young secretary's effort of self-repression, there
appeared in her face, at the moment when Miss Jemima tur