see it. You are lonely and desolate. Moth and
rust have entered, things in unopened drawers and closets are molding
and going to waste. Yield to true female influence and--"

Holcroft had been rendered speechless at first by this onslaught, but
the reference to unopened drawers and closets awakened a sudden
suspicion. Had she dared to touch what had belonged to his wife?
"What!" he exclaimed sharply, interrupting her; then with an expression
of disgust and anger, he passed her swiftly and went to his room. A
moment later came the stern summons, "Jane, come here!"

"Now you'll see what'll come of that rummagin'," whimpered Jane. "You
aint got no sense at all to go at him so. He's jes' goin' to put us
right out," and she went upstairs as if to execution.

"Have I failed?" gasped Mrs. Mumpson, and retreating to the chair, she
rocked nervously.

"Jane," said Holcroft in hot anger, "my wife's things have been pulled
out of her bureau and stuffed back again as if they were no better than
dishcloths. Who did it?"

The child now began to cry aloud.

"There, there!" he said, with intense irritation, "I can't trust you
either."

"I haint--touched 'em--since you told me--told me--not to do things on
the sly," the girl sobbed brokenly; but he had closed the door upon her
and did not hear.

He could have forgiven her almost anything but this. Since she only
had been permitted to take care of his room, he naturally thought that
she had committed the sacrilege, and her manner had confirmed this
impression. Of course, the mother had been present and probably had
assisted; but he had expected nothing better of her.

He took the things out, folded and smoothed them as carefully as he
could with his heavy hands and clumsy fingers. His gentle, almost
reverent touch was in strange contrast with his flushed, angry face and
gleaming eyes. "This is the worst that's happened yet," he muttered.
"Oh, Lemuel Weeks! It's well you are not here now, or we might both
have cause to be sorry. It was you who put these prying, and for all I
know, thieving creatures into my house, and it was as mean a trick as
ever one man played another. You and this precious cousin of yours
thought you could bring about a marriage; you put her up to her
ridiculous antics. Faugh! The very thought of it all makes me sick."

"Oh, mother, what shall I do?" Jane cried, rushing into the parlor and
throwing herself on the floor, "he's goin' to put us r