Ruth did not return to the old Corner House until almost time for the children to come home from school. Mrs. MacCall was in an excited state when the oldest Corner House girl appeared. "Hech, ma lassie!" cried the housekeeper. "Ye hae fair missed the crankiest old body I've set my eyes on in mony a day!" "Whom do you mean, Mrs. Mac?" asked Ruth, in surprise. "Let me tell 't ye! I should be fu' used to quare bodies coomin' here, for 'tis you bairns bring 'em. But this time 'twas ane o' _your_ friends, Ruthie--" "But who was he?" "Fegs! He'd never tell 't me," Mrs. MacCall declared, shaking her head. "He juist kep' sayin' he had a reason for wishin' tae see ye. Ye could nae tell from lookin' into his winter-apple face, whether 'twas guid news or bad he brought." "Oh, Mrs. Mac!" cried Ruth suddenly, "did he carry a green umbrella!" "He did juist that," declared the woman, vigorously nodding. "And a most disreputable umbrella it looked tae be. 'Gin ye judged the mon by his umbrella, ye'd think he was come tae buy rags." "Isn't he a character?" laughed Ruth. "He's as inquisitive as a chippin'-sparrow," said the housekeeper, with some disgust. "He wanted tae know ev'rything that had happened tae ye since ye was weaned." "Oh, dear! I'm rather glad I wasn't here then." "Aw, but fash not yerself he'll nae be back. For he wull." "No!" "Yes, I tell 't ye. I seen it in the gleam of his hard eye when he went. I gave him nae satisfaction as tae when ye might be home, not knowin' who he was nor what he wanted o' ye." "Oh, Mrs. MacCall, don't you remember?" and Ruth recounted the incident at the railroad crossing nearly a month before. "Huh, that's why he was so cur'ous, then. You saved his life," went on the housekeeper dropping the broad Scotch burr, now that her excitement was cooling. "I don't know that I did. But perhaps he came to thank me for what I tried to do." "It seems as though he must want to know every little thing about you," the housekeeper declared. "And how he could corner you with his questions! He should ha' made a lawyer-body. He made me tell him more than I should about the family's private affairs, I have no doot." "Oh, Mrs Mac! what do you suppose he wants!" "To see you, belike. And he'll be back again." "Goodness! I'm not sure I want to talk with him. He looked very odd to me that day I met him. And so cross!" "No doot of it. He's an ugly looking man. And from his speech it's easy to see he's no friend of womenkind." "He must be like that Neighbor Cecile was telling us about," sighed Ruth and with that dropped the subject of the strange old man with the green umbrella.