I toorned aboot, and thin I lit out a turrible yell which I shoot up quickly be throosting me dishcloth into me open mouth. For there sthtanding in me kitchin, his long coat dripping wid water, the collar toorned up about his eers, and his soft filt hat pooled doon over his eyes was Mr. Harry Dudley himsilf. His eyes looked straynge, and his face was all oonshavin aboot the chin. He cum tords me quickly and clapped his hand on me showlder. If I hadent recknissed the lad, shure I’d be taking him for a thramp. “Go upstares” ses he, “and bring Claire—Miss Wolley doon. I want” ses he, “to see her at wanse.” “Yes sir” ses I trimbling wid excitemint, for he do have the wild look of a mainyack in his eye. I rooshed up the stares to Miss Claire’s room, and forgitting to nock wint in. “Miss Claire” ses I, me breth cuming in gasps, “w-wud ye be so kind to step into me kitchin a moment.” She stud up, looking at me surprysed and bewildyed. “Whats the matter Delia?” ses she. “Plase hilp me, Miss Claire” ses I “For God’s sake” ses I gitting excited, “cum down at wanse.” “Are you and Larry fighting again” ses she. “What can I do this time?” ses she, but she let me lead her along doon the stares, and thegither we cum to the bastemint. Me kitchin dure was open and I belave she seen Mr. Harry setting there befure shes cum into the room, fur all of a suddint she guv a turrible start and pulled away frum me arm, trying to go back oop the stares. At that I called: “Mr. Harry!” and then he stud up, and she wint slowly tord him. They stud for a moment looking at aich uther widout spaking a wurd. Then he tuk his hat aff and put it on the table, and she thried to spake and cuddent say a ward. I seen her looking wid horror at his dripping clothes and wite haggud face, and I belave she guv a little sob for so it sownded. Thin he spake in a saft voyce, looking at her full in the eyes. “Claire” ses he “I took a boat back fur home harf an hour after yure letter and that—that—cursed paper came” ses he. Thin he stapped a bit. “I’ve cum up strate from the steemer now. I havent been home. Tell me the trooth” ses he. “Why did you treat me in that way?” ses he. She did not ansser, but the colur cum back to her pale face and she raysed up her hed prowdly. “Am I to belave” ses he “that _you_ wud throw me over for a chap wid more munney. Claire!” He wint a step tord her, his hands hild out. “For God’s sake” ses he “tell me that it is all sum horribul mistake.” She wint back frum him. “Mr. Dudley” ses she. “I quistshun yure rite to inquire into me affares, but if you wish me simply to verryfy the annowncemint of me ingagemint to Mr. Vandybilt, I do so.” He guv a grone, and set down in the chare, leening forward wid his hands prissed thegither. Miss Claire stud there cauldly, but she did not look at Mr. Harry anny more. Suddintly he throo back his hed and guv a little larf. Thin he got up and picked up his hat and moved tord the dure.