"I'm going to be imperative," said he, "and you must answer before I will let you go--" "Dear Sidney," said she, "let's wait until we reach home. It's too bad to spoil it here. But--" she whispered, looking about the room, "you may kiss me once now." "It's like a tale in _Harper's_," said he, presently. "It's 'to be continued,' always, at the most exciting passage." "I shall take the cars at one o'clock," said she, smiling. "But I shall not allow you to go with me. You know the weird sisters." "It would be impossible," said Trove. "I must get work somewhere; my money is gone." "Money!" said she, opening her purse. "I'm a Lady Bountiful. Think of it--I've two hundred dollars here. Didn't you know Riley Brooke cancelled the mortgage? Mother had saved this money for a payment." "Cancelled the mortgage!" said Trove. "Yes, the dear old tinker repaired him, and now he's a new man. I'll give you a job, Sidney." "What to do?" "Go and see the Governor, and then--and then you are to report to me at Robin's Inn. Mind you, there's to be no delay, and I'll pay you--let's see, I'll pay you a hundred dollars." Trove began to laugh, and thought of this odd fulfilling of the ancient promises. "I shall stay to-night with a cousin at Burlington. Oh, there's one more thing--you're to get a new suit of clothes at Albany, and, remember, it must be very grand." It was near train time, and they left the inn. "I'm going to tell you everything," said she, as they were on their way to the depot. "The day after to-morrow I am to see that dreadful Roberts. I'm longing to give him his answer." Not an hour before then Roberts had passed them on his way to Boston. XXXV At the Sign of the Golden Spool[1] [1 The author desires to say that this chapter relates to no shop now in existence.]