“I thank you for that kind consideration. Ah! I have so much to thank you for, Miss Wynthrop!” “You make me wish there was no such word as ‘thankful.’ I told you this morning that we only pleased ourselves in trying to make Mrs. Harcourt happy.” “You are angels!” “Fiddle-de-dee!” Now, if there be anything that takes a poor fellow down it is “fiddle-de-dee!” Harcourt collapsed. Margaret Wynthrop laughed, and said: “This is a rude farm office, where accounts are audited, and not a place for sentiment, Mr. Harcourt. I brought you here for the settlement of business.” “I am at your orders, Miss Wynthrop.” “First of all, I would ask you if I am liberty to write to Mr. Amos Merritt and end his suspense and anxiety on your account?” “Most certainly. I have not been in hiding, though I may not now explain the cause of my disappearance. Write, and set the worthy counselor at ease; also set at ease the party behind him, and for whom he acts, for my acquaintance with Mr. Merritt would scarcely account for his personal interest in my affairs.” “I suspected that there was some friend in the background,” Margaret Wynthrop candidly confessed. “But I cannot conjecture who it may be. Can you?” “No, I cannot with any reasonable degree of probability,” Harcourt replied. “Well, I have a check, received this morning, to acknowledge. I will ‘take this opportunity,’ as our grandparents used to write in the beginning of their letters, to let Mr. Merritt and ‘the power behind the throne’ know that you are here. And now,” continued the girl, turning to the writing-desk, unlocking the drawer, and taking from it a sealed envelope, “here are all the receipts for money expended for the benefit of Mrs. Harcourt.” “I beg that you will keep them. I do not wish to see them,” pleaded the young man. “But why not? You will hereafter transact your mother’s business.” “No,” said Harcourt, “I cannot. I must go away again in a very few days. Pray, Miss Wynthrop, continue your work of Christian love. Be still the trustee and guardian of this poor lady, for a time at least. It may not be long,” pleaded Harcourt. “Why should you think it necessary to be so very emphatic? I shall take pleasure in caring for Mrs. Harcourt just so long as she has need and I have power.” “Oh! thank you! And continue to expend those checks and the checks that I will send you also, for her necessities, including the cost of her board and lodging, fixing the latter according to your own judgment and pleasure. Oh! I loathe to speak to you of money matters!” “But why should you dislike to do so? It is necessary. I will do as you wish, and give the result of my figuring before you leave us.” Margaret Wynthrop drew a small silver watch from her pocket and consulted it. “It is our dinner hour, and mamma will be waiting. We had better return to the house now,” she said, as she replaced her timepiece. Then she locked the desk and left the room, followed by Harcourt.