est disgust; "indeed," he said, with a heavy attempt at
playfulness, "you are a most excellent diplomat."

"Diplomat, Uncle!" cried the girl, vehement indignation in her voice and
face. "Diplomat!" she cried again. "You don't mean that I've not been
quite sincere?"

"No, no, no; not in the least, my dear! But that you have put your case
with admirable force."

"Oh," said the girl with a breath of relief, "I just put it as I feel
it. And it is not a bit my putting it, Uncle, but it is just that
you are a dear and--well, a real sport; you love fair play." The girl
suddenly threw her strong, young arms about her uncle's neck, drew him
close to her, and kissed him almost as if she had been his mother.

The little man was deeply touched, but with true Scotch horror of a
demonstration he cried, "Tut, tut, lassie, ye're makin' an auld fule o'
your uncle. Come now, be sensible!"

"Sensible!" echoed his niece, kissing him again. "That's my living
description among all my acquaintance. It is their gentle way of
reminding me that the ordinary feminine graces of sweetness and general
loveliness are denied me."

"And more fools they!" grunted her uncle. "You're worth the hale
caboodle o' them."

That same evening there were others who shared this opinion, and none
more enthusiastically than did Mr. Dunn, whom Miss Brodie chanced to
meet just as she turned out of the Waverly Station.

"Oh, Mr. Dunn," she cried, "how very fortunate!" Her face glowed with
excitement.

"For me; yes, indeed!" said Mr. Dunn, warmly greeting her.

"For me, for young Cameron, for us all," said Miss Brodie. "Oh, Rob, is
that you?" she continued, as her eye fell upon the youngster standing
with cap off waiting her recognition. "Look at this!" she flashed a
letter before Dunn's face. "What do you think of that?"

Dunn took the letter. "It's to Sheratt," he said, with a puzzled air.

"Yes," cried Miss Brodie, mimicking his tone, "it's to Sheratt, from Sir
Archibald, and it means that Cameron is safe. The police will never--"

"The police," cried Dunn, hastily, getting between young Rob and her and
glancing at his brother, who stood looking from one to the other with a
startled face.

"How stupid! The police are a truly wonderful body of men," she went on
with enthusiasm. "They look so splendid. I saw some of them as I came
along. But never mind them now. About this letter. What's to do?"

Dunn glanced at his watch. "We need every minute." He s