change will do her good. She can't build up very fast in a
little back room, up three flights."

"What's her name?" asked Quincy.

"Oh! I forgot," replied Leopold. "I'll write her name and address down
for you. There it is," said he, as he passed it to Quincy. "Her first
name is Rosa, and that's all right. She's of French-Canadian descent,
and her last name is one of those jawbreakers that no American can
pronounce. It sounded something like Avery, so she called herself at
first Rosa Avery; then the two A's caused trouble, for everybody thought
she said Rose Avery. Being a proof reader," continued Leopold, "she is
very sensitive, so while the name Rosa satisfied her inmost soul, the
name Rose jarred upon her sensibilities. Thus another change became
necessary, and she is now known, and probably will continue to be known,
as Miss Rosa Very, until she makes up her mind to change it again."

"I'm greatly obliged, Leopold," said Quincy, making the proofs into a
flat parcel and putting them into his inside overcoat pocket.

"Don't mention it, old fellow," remarked Leopold. "You may be the means
of supplying me with an assistant some day. If you should, don't fail to
call my attention to it."

Aunt Ella was at dinner when Quincy arrived. She sent word up by Buttons
for Quincy to come down to the dining-room at once. She was alone in the
room when he entered.

"Just in time," said he, "and I'm hungry as a bear."

"That's a good boy; sit down and help me out," said his aunt. "These
extravagant servants of mine cook ten times as much as I can possibly
eat."

"I don't imagine it is wasted," replied Quincy.

"I think not," said Aunt Ella, with a laugh; "for, judging from the
extra plentiful supply, they probably have a kitchen party in view for
this evening. But what keeps you away from Eastborough over night?"

"I thought you couldn't eat and talk at the same time," remarked Quincy.

"I can't," she replied. "I'm through eating and I'm going to sit and
listen to you. Go right ahead, the servants won't come in. I won't let
them stand and look at me when I'm eating. If I want them I ring for
them."

Quincy then briefly related the principal events that had taken place at
Mason's Corner since the nineteenth, remarking, incidentally, that he
had received no word from Lindy.

"Let her alone, and she'll come home when she gets ready," said Aunt
Ella. "As to the best place for your young lady to go, I shall have to
think