. "He is looking at the crops from his
window in St. Petersburg!"

Sir Justin grimly pursed his lips, but his silence was more ominous
than speech. In fact, the Baron's unfortunate effort at realism by the
introduction of his window struck the first blow at his wife's implicit
trust in him. She was evidently a little disconcerted, though she
stoutly declared--

"He is evidently living in the suburbs, mamma."

"Will you be so kind as to read on a little farther?" interposed Sir
Justin in a grave voice.

"'The following reflections have I made. Russia is very large and cold,
where people in furs are to be seen, and sledges. Bombs are thrown
sometimes, and the marine is not good when it does drink too much.' Now,
mamma, he must have seen these things or he wouldn't put them in his
letter."

The Baroness broke of somewhat hurriedly to make this comment, almost
indeed as though she felt it to be necessary. As for her two comforters,
they looked at one another with so much sorrow that their eyes gleamed
and their lips appeared to smile.

"The Baron did not write that letter in Russia," said Sir Justin
decisively. "Furs are not worn in summer, nor do the inhabitants travel
in sledges at this time of the year."

"But--but he doesn't say he actually saw them," pleaded the Baroness.

"Then that remark, just like the rest of his reflections, makes utter
nonsense," rejoined her mother.

"Is that all?" inquired Sir Justin.

"Almost all--all that is important," faltered the Baroness.

"Let us hear the rest," said her mother inexorably.

"There is only a postscript, and that merely says--'The flask that you
filled I thank you for; it was so large that it was sufficient for----'
I can't read the last word."

"Let me see it, Alicia."

A few minutes ago Alicia would have torn the precious letter up rather
than let another eye fall upon it. That her devotion was a little
disturbed was proved by her allowing her two advisers to study even a
single sentence. Keeping her hand over the rest, she showed it to them.
They bent their brows, and then simultaneously exclaimed--

"'Us both!'"

"Oh, it can't be!" cried the poor Baroness.

"It is absolutely certain," said her mother in a terrible voice--"'It
was so large that it was sufficient for us both!'"

"There is no doubt about it," corroborated Sir Justin sternly. "The
unfortunate young man has inadvertently confessed his deception."

"It cannot be!" murmured the Barone