urse, that no apology was needed.

One of the boys--it was Noel--gave a little snigger, but when Mr.
Anstruther turned with raised eyebrows in his direction, Noel tried, but
without success, to look as if he had made no sound.

"I have come here," Mr. Anstruther resumed then, addressing himself once
more to Mrs. Danvers, "in search of my granddaughter Margaret, who, I
understand, has been living in your house in the capacity of holiday
governess since the 28th of July."

"Margaret Anstruther!" said Mrs. Danvers. "I am very sorry, but I have
never heard the name before."

"So I understand, madam," was the grim reply. "My granddaughter has been
known to you under the name of Eleanor Carson."

At that the excitement with which the entire family had been listening to
him could no longer be restrained, and they broke into a perfect chorus
of exclamations and questions. And high above them all Hilary's voice
could be heard saying over and over again, "I knew it; I knew it. Perhaps
you will believe me now. I always suspected that she was an imposter.
Now, perhaps, none of you will contradict me again about her being a
thief and a burglar."

Her persistent, exultant tone so dominated all her brothers' and sisters'
disjointed exclamations that she eventually silenced them, and her shrill
voice finished alone. And when at length she had done, it was to find Mr.
Anstruther's piercing eyes gazing attentively at her.

"Young lady," he said, and Eleanor, who had easily identified Hilary as
the member of the family whom Margaret liked least, exulted at the
thought that she was now going to get a taste of Mr. Anstruther's wrath,
"young lady, will you oblige me by repeating quietly and without any
display of excitement the extraordinary statement you have just made
relative to my granddaughter being a burglar."

But Hilary was not in the least daunted by his icy tones. Hot with
indignation at the recollection of the scorn with which her family had
received proof of her detective skill, she burst into an eager account of
all the suspicions she had entertained about Margaret, and though,
fortunately for herself, she did not again say anything about Colonel
Baker's silver, she wound up by thrusting the case containing the
necklace and the miniature into his hand.

"There," she said triumphantly, "I found that in her dressing bag this
afternoon, and when I taxed her with having stolen them, she said----"

"Yes, what did she say?"