“Yes; but I'm in charge of Miss Kilburn, and you needn't be afraid of me. Come in. We wish to consult you,” cried Mrs. Munger. Mrs. Gerrish cackled some applausive incoherencies. Putney advanced into the room, and dropped his burlesque air as he approached Annie. “Miss Kilburn, I must apologise for not having called with Mrs. Putney to pay my respects. I have been away; when I got back I found she had stolen a march on me. But I'm going to make Ellen bring me at once. I don't think I've been in your house since the old Judge's time. Well, he was an able man, and a good man; I was awfully fond of the old Judge, in a boy's way.” “Thank you,” said Annie, touched by something gentle and honest in his words. “He was a Christian gentleman,” said Mr. Gerrish with authority. Putney said, without noticing Mr. Gerrish, “Well, I'm glad you've come back to the old place, Miss Kilburn--I almost said Annie.” “I shouldn't have minded, Ralph,” she retorted. “Shouldn't you? Well, that's right.” Putney continued, ignoring the laugh of the others at Annie's sally: “You'll find Hatboro' pretty exciting, after Rome, for a while, I suppose. But you'll get used to it. It's got more of the modern improvements, I'm told, and it's more public-spirited--more snap to it. I'm told that there's more enterprise in Hatboro', more real _crowd_ in South Hatboro' alone, than there is in the Quirinal and the Vatican put together.” “You had better come and live at South Hatboro', Mr. Putney; that would be just the atmosphere for you,” said Mrs. Munger, with aimless hospitality. She said this to every one. “Is it about coming to South Hatboro' you want to consult me?” asked Putney. “Well, it is, and it isn't,” she began. “Better be honest, Mrs. Munger,” said Putney. “You can't do anything for a client who won't be honest with his attorney. That's what I have to continually impress upon the reprobates who come to me. I say, 'It don't matter what you've done; if you expect me to get you off, you've got to make a clean breast of it.' They generally do; they see the sense of it.” They all laughed, and Mr. Gerrish said, “Mr. Putney is one of Hatboro's privileged characters, Miss Kilburn.” “Thank you, Billy,” returned the lawyer, with mock-tenderness. “Now, Mrs. Munger, out with it!” “You'll have to tell him sooner or later, Mrs. Munger!” said Mrs. Gerrish, with overweening pleasure in her acquaintance with both of these superior people. “He'll get it out of you anyway.” Her husband looked at her, and she fell silent. Mrs. Munger swept her with a tolerant smile as she looked up at Putney. “Why, it's really Miss Kilburn's affair,” she began; and she laid the case before the lawyer with a fulness that made Annie wince.