h
no money could buy; and were she a millionairess she would still be
poor if, from false pride, he robbed her of that gift which was his to
give her--and perhaps his alone."

"Boy dear," she said, gently; "it sounds very plausible. But it is so
easy to be plausible with fifty thousand a year in the background. Let
me tell you about the Professor. He has, of course, his fellowship,
and is quite comfortably off now, living as a bachelor, in rooms. But
he practically supports his unmarried sister, considerably older than
himself, who lives in a tiny little villa, and keeps one maid. The
Professor could not afford to marry, and set up a larger establishment,
on his present income; at least he apparently thinks he could not. And
your theory of robbing the woman who--the woman he loves, does not
appear to have occurred to him. But, during all these years he has
been compiling an Encyclopedia--I don't suppose you know what an
Encyclopedia is, Boy."

"Oh, don't I?" said the Boy. "It's a thing you pile up on the floor to
stand upon when you want to fix a new pipe-rack."

Miss Charteris ignored this trying definition of an Encyclopedia.

"The Professor is compiling a wonderful book," she said, with dignity;
"and, when it is completed and published, he will be in a position to
marry."

"Has he told you so?" inquired the Boy.

"No, Boy. He has never mentioned the subject of marriage to me. But
he has told his sister; and she has told me."

"Ha!" said the Boy. "Miss _H_ann, I suppose. I must say, I distrust
Miss _H_ann."

"What do _you_ know of Miss Ann?" inquired Christobel, astonished.

"Only that she's always a-_h_egging of 'em on," said the Boy, calmly.

The indignant blood rushed into the fair proud face.

"Boy! You've been gossiping with Martha."

"I have, dear; I admit it. You see, I arrived early, on the third day;
found the garden empty; went gaily into the house to look for you. Ran
up into the hall; when up got a pair of old goloshes--eh, what? Oh,
sorry--up got a pair of _new_ goloshes, and hit me in the eye! A
professor's cap and gown hung up, as if at home; and while I meditated
upon these things, the voice of my Beloved was uplifted in loud and
sonorous Greek, exclaiming: 'Avaunt, rash youth! Thou impudent
intruder!' Can you wonder that I avaunted--to Martha?"

"You will please tell me at once all Martha said to you."

"Of course I will, dear. Don't be vexed. I always meant to te