Mamma is at his elbow, glancing sharply at him, while she places upon the table pen, ink, and a folded paper. "We've kept our word, gal," she says harshly, "and we know that after to-day ye may take some queer fancies. Now, this paper is ter signify that we have acted fairly by ye, and ter bind ye not ter make us any trouble hereafter." Leslie's eyes rove slowly from one to the other. She feels that the end has come, and with the last remnant of her courage she keeps back the despairing cry that rises to her lips. As she gazes, Franz Francoise makes a sudden movement as if to snatch up the paper, then as suddenly withdraws his hand. "Wot's in that paper?" he asks, turning to Mamma. "Ye know well enough," retorts the old woman tartly. "We've promised her the gal, and she's promised not to inform agin us. We're goin' to stick to our bargain, and we want her to stick to hers." And she pushes the pen and ink toward Leslie. But the latter does not heed the motion. "Oh," she cries, half rising and clasping her hands in intense appeal, "is it true? Is she indeed so near me? Shall I have her back?" "Yes, yes." Mamma grows impatient, "Sign this and then--" Franz leans forward and puts one finger upon the folded paper. "Once agin," says he sharply, "what's that?" "It's a simple little paper, Franzy," breaks in Papa reassuringly, "jest to 'stablish our innocence, in case your new wife should happen to forgit her promise. It's nothing that'll affect you." "Umph," grunts Franz, eyeing the pair suspiciously, "that's it, is it." Then, turning to Leslie: "Read that paper, gal." But Papa puts out his hand. "It's only a little form, my dear boy." "Wal," with growing aggressiveness, "let her read the little form." "It's only a waste o' time," breaks in Mamma impatiently, "an' the sooner it's signed, the sooner she'll--" "Only a waste of time." The words awaken Leslie's almost benumbed senses. Time; that is just what this discussion is gaining for her, for Stanhope! Since their entrance, she has not opened her lips; now she interrupts Mamma's discourse. "Let me read the paper," she says. By a quick movement, Papa extracts the paper from beneath the finger of his Prodigal, and holding it tightly, steps back from the table. "It's wasting time," he says, "an' it's only a little form." Then Leslie draws herself up to her fullest height, and stepping back from the table says: "I will sign no paper that I have not read." With a sudden movement Franz springs upon Papa, wrests the paper from his grasp, and passes it over Mamma's shoulder to Leslie. Then he turns fiercely upon the pair. "If ye could read, Franz Francoise," shrieks Mamma, in a burst of incautious rage, "ye'd never a-done that thing!" "Kerrect!" retorts Franz, with a malicious grin, "I'd a-read it myself. Not bein' able to do that, I'd sooner take her word fer it than your'n." Again Papa comes forward and lays a hand upon the arm of his son.