o Mr. Green, but that gentleman, who had returned one
day pale and furious, but tamed, from an interview that related to his
treatment of his wife, held out no hopes of assistance.

"I wash my hands of him," he said bitterly. "You stick to it; that's
all you can do."

"They lost me last night," said the unfortunate. "I stayed behind just
to take a stone out of my shoe, and the earth seemed to swallow them up.
He's so strong. That's the worst of it."

"Strong?" said Mr. Green.

Mr. Widden nodded. "Tuesday evening he showed her how he upset a man
once and stood him on his head," he said, irritably. "I was what he
showed her with."

"Stick to it!" counselled Mr. Green again. "A brother and sister are
bound to get tired of each other before long; it's nature."

Mr. Widden sighed and obeyed. But brother and sister showed no signs of
tiring of each other's company, while they displayed unmistakable signs
of weariness with his. And three weeks later Mr. Letts, in a few
well-chosen words, kindly but firmly dismissed him.

"I should never give my consent," he said, gravely, "so it's only wasting
your time. You run off and play."

Mr. Widden ran off to Mr. Green, but before he could get a word out
discovered that something unusual had happened. Mrs. Green, a picture of
distress, sat at one end of the room with a handkerchief to her eyes; Mr.
Green, in a condition compounded of joy and rage, was striding violently
up and down the room.

"He's a fraud!" he shouted. "A fraud! I've had my suspicions for some
time, and this evening I got it out of her."

Mr. Widden stared in amazement.

"I got it out of her," repeated Mr. Green, pointing at the trembling
woman. "He's no more her son than what you are."

"What?" said the amazed listener.

"She's been deceiving me," said Mr. Green, with a scowl, "but I don't
think she'll do it again in a hurry. You stay here," he shouted, as his
wife rose to leave the room. "I want you to be here when he comes in."

Mrs. Green stayed, and the other two, heedless of her presence, discussed
the situation until the front door was heard to open, and Mr. Letts and
Betty came into the room. With a little cry the girl ran to her mother.

"What's the matter?" she cried.

"She's lost another son," said Mr. Green, with a ferocious sneer--"a
flash, bullying, ugly chap of the name o' Letts."

"Halloa!" said Mr. Letts, starting.

"A chap she picked up out of the street, and trie