"So do I. Still, if he's a cousin, he should be fond of mother, and not bother." "Amy, we're all a set of simpletons, I guess, as a family, and in relation to practical matters." "'Speak for yourself, John.'" "That isn't all. There's something--something wrong with father." "Hallam Kaye! Now I do believe you're out of your head. I was afraid you were, you've talked and acted so queerly. I'm going for Cleena. Is your face hot? Do you ache more than usual?" "Don't be silly. I'm as right as I ever shall be. Listen. I found it all out in the city. Father had gone to some exhibition, and mother and I were waiting for the time to go to the doctor. A gentleman called, and I never saw anybody look so frightened and ill as mother did when she received him, though I knew it wasn't about me. She hadn't hoped for anything better in that line. She called the man 'Friend Howard Corson,' and he was very courteous to her; but all of a sudden she cried out:-- "'Don't tell me that the end has come! I can't bear both sorrows in one day!' And then she looked across at me. I smiled as bravely as I could, and, Amy, I believe our mother is the very most beautiful woman in this world." "Why, of course; and father's the handsomest man." "Certainly," agreed the lad, with rather more haste than conviction. "Well, what next?" Before the answer could be given, there burst upon their ears an uproarious clamor of angry voices, such as neither had ever heard at Fairacres; and Amy sprang up in wild alarm, while Hallam groped blindly for the crutches he had tossed aside. CHAPTER V. A KINSMAN OF THE HOUSE. "It's from the library!" reported Amy, who had first reached and opened the window. "I can't make out anything except--yes, it is! That's Fayette's voice. Hear that croak?" "The foolish boy? Here yet?" "So it seems. I'll go and find out." "Wait. That's Cleena talking now, and another voice, a man's. What can it all mean?" Amy ran down the stairs and out of the house so swiftly that she did not observe her father following with almost equal haste. Behind him sped Mrs. Kaye, far more anxious concerning her husband than the noise outside. "Slowly, Cuthbert. Please do take care. Thee must not hurry so, and I hear Cleena. She'll look out for everything. For my sake, don't run." Hallam upon his crutches came last of all, and for a moment the entire family stood in silent wonder at the scene before them. Two men were wrestling like angry schoolboys; and the light from a lantern in Cleena's hand fell over them and showed the distorted face of "Bony" in one of his wildest rages. His contestant was gray haired and stout, and was evidently getting the worst of the struggle. The library door was open, and it seemed as if the half-wit were trying to force the other backward into the building. One glance revealed something of the situation to Mrs. Kaye, and, as the wrestlers paused for breath, she moved forward and laid her hand upon the old man's arm.