Mrs. Noah stared at him aghast. Was he crazy, or did he mean to insult her master? Evidently neither. He seemed as sane as herself, while no one could associate an insult with him. He did not know anything. That was the solution of his audacity, and pityingly, as she would have addressed a half idiot, Mrs. Noah made him understand how impossible it was for him to think her master would lend to a stranger like him. “You say he’s gone to Devonshire,” grandpa said, softly, with a quiver on his lip when she had finished. “I wish I’d knew it; I left my granddarter there to be examined. Mabby I’ll meet him going back, and can ask him.” “I tell you it won’t be no use. Mr. Guy has no three hundred dollars to throw away,” was Mrs. Noah’s rather sharp rejoinder. “Wall, wall, we won’t quarrel about it,” the old man replied, in his most conciliatory manner, as he turned his head away to hide the starting tear. Grandfather Markham’s heart was very sore, and Mrs. Noah’s harshness troubled him. He could not bear to think that she really was cross with him, besides that he wanted something to carry Maddy besides disappointment, so by way of testing Mrs. Noah’s amiability and pleasing Maddy, too, he said, as he arose: “I’m an old man, lady, old enough to be your father.” Here Mrs. Noah’s face grew brighter, and she listened attentively while he continued: “You won’t take what I say amiss, I’m sure. I have a little girl at home, a grandchild, who has heard big stories of the fine things at Aikenside. She has a hankerin’ after such vanities, and it would please her mightily to have me tell her what I saw up here, so maybe you wouldn’t mind lettin’ me go into that big room where the silk fixin’s are. I’ll take off my shoes, if you say so.” “Your shoes won’t hurt an atom; come right along,” Mrs. Noah replied, now in the best of moods, for, except her cup of green tea with raspberry jam and cream, she enjoyed nothing more than showing their handsome house. Conducting him through the wide, marbled hall, she ushered him into the drawing-room, where for a time he stood perfectly bewildered. It was his first introduction to rosewood, velvet, and brocatelle, and it seemed to him as if he had suddenly been transported to fairy-land. “Maddy would like this—it’s her nature,” he whispered, advancing a step or two, and setting down his feet as softly as if stepping on eggs. Happening to lift his eyes before one of the long mirrors, he spied himself, wondering much what that “queer-looking chap” was doing there in the midst of so much elegance, and why Mrs. Noah did not turn him out! Then mentally asking forgiveness for this flash of pride, and determined to make amends, he bowed low to the figure in the glass, which bowed as low in return, but did not reply to the very good-natured remark: “How d’ye do—pretty well, to-day?” There was a familiar look about the round cape of the camlet cloak, and Grandpa Markham’s face turned crimson as the truth burst upon him.