alone, unless, indeed, he had
brought a servant who had gone to the side door; and thus relieved from
a load of anxiety, he was very cordial in his manner, and began at once
to make excuses for the party, repeating in substance what John had
already said.

'Yes, I know; that fellow who drove me here told me,' Arthur said,
throwing off his coat and hat, and beginning to lave his face, and neck,
and hands in the cold water which he turned into the bowl until it was
full to the brim, and splashed over the sides as he dashed it upon
himself.

All this time Frank had not seen his face distinctly, nor did he have
an opportunity to do so until the ablutions were ended and Arthur had
rubbed himself with, not one towel, but two, until it seemed as if he
must have taken off the skin in places. Then he turned, and running his
fingers through his luxuriant hair, which had a habit of curling around
his forehead as in his boyhood, looked full at his brother, who saw that
he was very pale and thin, and that his eyes were unnaturally large and
bright, while there was about him an indescribable something which
puzzled Frank a little. It was not altogether the air of foreign travel
and cultivation which was so perceptible, but a something else--a
restlessness and nervousness of speech and manner as he moved about the
room, walking rapidly and gesticulating as he walked.

'You are looking thin and tired. Are you not well?' Frank asked.

'Oh, yes, perfectly well,' Arthur replied: 'only this infernal heat in
my blood, which keeps me up to fever pitch all the time. I shall have to
bathe my face again,' and, turning a second time to the bowl, he began
to throw water over his face and hands as he had done before.

'I'd like a bath in ice water,' he said, as he began drying himself with
a fresh towel. 'If I remember right, there is no bath-room on this
floor, but I can soon have one built. I intend to throw down the wall
between this room and the next, and perhaps the next, so as to have a
suite.'

He was asserting the ownership at once, and Frank had nothing to say,
for his brother was master there, and had a right to tear the house down
if he chose. The second washing must have cooled him, for there came a
change in his manner, and he moved more slowly and spoke with greater
deliberation, as he asked some questions about the people below.

'Will you come down by-and-bye,' Frank said, after having made some
explanations with regard to