boy," says Mr Barclay
bitterly.

"I'm not going to," says Sir John, as he sat playing with Miss
Virginia's hand, while I could see that the poor darling's face was
convulsed, and she was trying to hide the tears which streamed down.
"I'm going to treat you as a man. You can have what money you want. Be
off for a year's travel. Hunt, shoot, go round the world, what you
like; but don't come back here for a twelvemonth.--Burdon, take that
letter over to the Misses Mimpriss, and wait for an answer."

I took the note across, wondering what would be said while I was gone,
and knowing why Sir John wanted his son to go as well as he did, and
Miss Virginia too, poor thing. The knocker seemed to make the house
opposite echo very strangely, as I thumped; but when the door was opened
in a few minutes, everything in the hall seemed very proper and prim,
while the maid who came looked as stiff and disagreeable as could be.

"For Miss Mimpriss, from Sir John Drinkwater," I said; "and I'll wait
for an answer."

"Very well," says the woman shortly.

"I'll wait for an answer," I said, for she was shutting the door.

"Yes; I heard," she says, and the door was shut in my face.

"Hang all old maids!" I said. "They needn't be afraid of me;" and
there I waited till I heard steps again and the door was opened; and the
ill-looking woman says in a snappish tone: "Miss Adela Mimpriss's
compliments, and she'll come across directly."

"Any one would think I was a wild beast," I said to myself, as I went
back and gave my message, finding all three in the room just as I had
left them when I went away.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER FIVE.

JAMES BURDON SMELLS FIRE.

Mr Barclay followed me out, and as soon as we were in the hall,
"Burdon," he says, "you have a bunch of small keys, haven't you?"

"Yes, Master Barclay, down in my pantry."

"Lend them to me: I want to try if one of them will fit a lock of mine."

He followed me down; and I was just handing them to him, when there was
a double knock and a ring, and I saw him turn as red as a boy of sixteen
found out at some trick.

I hurried up to open the door, leaving him there, and found that it was
Miss Adela Mimpriss.

"Will you show me in to Sir John?" she says, smiling; and I did so,
leaving them together; and going down-stairs, to see Mr Barclay
standing before the fire and looking very strange and stern. He did not
say anything, but walked up-stairs again; and I could hear him