Steps approached; both buried themselves in their books; both held their breath and felt their hearts flutter as they never had done before at the step of mortal man. The door opened; neither looked up, yet each was conscious of mingled disappointment and relief when the major said, in a grave tone, “Girls, I’ve something to tell you.” “We know what it is, sir,” returned Helen, coolly. “I beg your pardon, but you don’t, my dear, as I will prove in five minutes, if you will give me your attention.” The major looked as if braced up to some momentous undertaking; and planting himself before the two young ladies, dashed bravely into the subject. “Girls, I’ve played a bold game, but I’ve won it, and will take the consequences.” “They will fall heaviest on you, uncle,” said Helen, thinking he was about to declare his love for the widow. The major laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and answered, stoutly,— “I’ll bear them; but you are quite wrong, my dear, in your surmises, as you will soon see. Helen is my ward, and accountable to me alone. Amy’s mother gave her into my charge, and won’t reproach me for anything that has passed when I explain matters. As to the lads they must take care of themselves.” Suddenly both girls colored, fluttered, and became intensely interested. The major’s eyes twinkled as he assumed a perfectly impassive expression, and rapidly delivered himself of the following thunderbolt,— “Girls, you have been deceived, and the young men you love are impostors.” “I thought so,” muttered Helen, grimly. “Oh, uncle, don’t, don’t say that!” cried Amy, despairingly. “It’s true, my dears; and the worst of it is, I knew the truth all the time. Now, don’t have hysterics, but listen and enjoy the joke as I do. At Coblentz, when you sat in the balcony, two young men overheard Amy sigh for adventures, and Helen advise making a romance out of the gloves one of the lads had dropped. They had seen you by day; both admired you, and being idle, gay young fellows, they resolved to devote their vacation to gratifying your wishes and enjoying themselves. We met at the Fortress; I knew one of them, and liked the other immensely; so when they confided their scheme to me I agreed to help them carry it out, as I had perfect confidence in both, and thought a little adventure or two would do you good.” “Uncle, you were mad,” said Helen; and Amy added, tragically,— “You don’t know what trouble has come of it.”