Matty rushed, and immediately there was a sound on the wooden passage as of a gentleman with heavy boots. A moment later, and Matty ushered in a very tall, broad-shouldered, strapping lady; if we may venture to use that expression in reference to one of the fair sex. Miss Deemas was a sort of human eagle. She had an eagle eye, an aquiline nose, an eagle flounce, and an eagle heart. Going up to Miss Tippet, she put a hand on each of her shoulders, and stooping down, pecked her, so to speak, on each cheek. "How are you, my dear?" said Miss Deemas, not by any means tenderly; but much in the tone in which one would expect to have one's money or one's life demanded. "Quite well, dear Julia, and _so_ glad to see you. It is _so_ good of you to take me by surprise this way; just at lunch-time, too. Another plate and knife, Matty. This is a little boy--a friend--not exactly a friend, but a--a thingumy, you know." "No, I _don't_ know, Emelina, what is the precise `thingumy' you refer to this time," said the uncompromising and matter-of-fact Miss Deemas. "You're _so_ particular, dear Julia," replied Miss Tippet with a little sigh; "a what's-'is-n-, a _protege_, you know." "Indeed," said Miss Deemas, regarding Willie with a severe frown, as if in her estimation all _proteges_ were necessarily villains. "Yes, dear Julia, and, would you believe it, that this boy's brother-in-law--" "Brother, ma'am," interrupted Willie. "Yes, brother, actually saved my darling's life last night, at the--the thing in Beverly Square." "What `darling's life,' and what `thing' in Beverly Square?" demanded Miss Deemas. "What! have you not heard of the fire last night in Beverly Square--my relative, James Auberly--living there with his family--all burnt to ashes--and my sweet Loo, too? A what's-'is-name was brought, and a brave fireman went up it, through fire and water and smoke. Young Auberly went up before him and fell--heat and suffocation--and saved her in his arms, and his name is Frank, and he's this boy's brother-in-law!" To this brief summary, given with much excitement, Miss Deemas listened with quiet composure, and then said with grim sarcasm, and very slowly: "Let me see; there was a fire in Beverly Square last night, and James Auberly, living there with his family, were all burned to ashes." Miss Tippet here interrupted with, "No, no;" but her stern friend imposing silence, with an eagle look, continued: "All burned to ashes, and also your sweet Loo. A `what's-his-name' having been brought, a brave fireman goes up it, and apparently never comes down again (burned to ashes also, I fancy); but young Auberly, who went up before him, and fell--heat and suffocation being the result-- saved some one named `her' in his arms; his name being Frank (owing no doubt to his having been re-baptised, for ever since I knew him he has been named Frederick), and he is this boy's brother-in-law!"