"Thanks. I've travelled considerably, and have never met with an accident. Glad to see you able to be down, for from what I heard I feared you had not sufficiently recovered." "I'm much better to-day, sir," I replied, briefly. "Well, this air, these scenes ought to impart health and content. I'm greatly pleased already, and congratulate myself on finding so pleasant a place of summer sojourn. It will form a delightful contrast to great hotels and jostling crowds." I now saw Miss Warren, through the half-open door, talking to Mrs. Yocomb. They evidently thought the banker was conversing with Mr. Yocomb. Instead of youthful ardor and bubbling happiness, the girl's face had a grave, sedate aspect that comported well with her coming dignities. Then she looked distressed. Was Mrs. Yocomb telling her of my profane and awful mood? I lent an inattentive ear to Mr. Hearn's excellent reasons for satisfaction with his present abode, and in the depths of my soul I thought, "If she's worrying about me now, how good-hearted she is!" "I already foresee," Mr. Hearn proceeded, in his full-orbed tones, "that it will also be just the place for my little girl--safe and quiet, with very nice people to associate with." "Yes," I said emphatically, "they are nice people--the best I ever knew." Miss Warren started violently, took a step toward the door, then paused, and Mrs. Yocomb entered first. "Why, Richard Morton!" she exclaimed, "what does thee mean by this imprudence?" "I mean to eat a supper that will astonish you," I replied, laughing. "But I didn't give thee leave to come down." "You said I could come to-morrow, so I haven't disobeyed in spirit." Miss Warren still stood in the hall, but seeing that I had recognized her, she came forward and gave me her hand as she said: "No one is more glad than I that you are able to come down." Her words were very quiet, but the pressure of her hand was so warm as to surprise me, and I also noted that what must have been a vivid color was fading from her usually pale face. I saw, too, that Mr. Hearn was watching us keenly. "Oh, but you are shrewd!" I thought. "I wish you had cause to suspect." I returned her greeting with great apparent frankness and cordiality as I replied, "Oh, I'm much better to-night, and as jolly as Mark Tapley." "Well," ejaculated Mrs. Yocomb, "thee _has_ stolen a march on us, but I'm afraid thee'll be the worse for it." "Ah, Mrs. Yocomb," I laughed, "your captive has escaped. I'm going to meeting with you to-morrow." "No, thee isn't. I feel as if I ought to take thee right back to thy room." "Mr. Yocomb," I cried to the old gentleman, who now stood staring at me in the doorway, "I appeal to you. Can't I stay down to supper?" "How's this! how's this!" he exclaimed. "We were going to give thee a grand ovation to-morrow, and mother had planned a dinner that might content an alderman."