"No. How should I? I did not know who either of the people was till the picture was thrown upon the wall." "Do you know now--know both of them, I mean?" "Yes--I think I do. One was Mr.----" "Yes, Elmer, you may as well say it. It was Lawrence." Elmer could think of nothing to say, and wisely said nothing. After a brief pause Alma said slowly, as if talking to herself: "It was a cruel thing to do." "I did not mean to be cruel." "Oh, my dear--cousin, don't think of it in that way. It was Lawrence who was so cruel." "Yes. It was not very gentlemanly; but perhaps he does not care for--for this person." "He does. The picture was only confirmation of what I had heard before. I've done with him," she added in a sort of suppressed desperation. "I'm going to break our engagement this very night. I know it will nearly break my heart, and father will be very angry; but, Elmer, come nearer; let me tell you about it. I'm afraid of him. He has such an evil eye, and you remember the chimney--the day you came--I thought he would kill you, he was so angry." Evidently she was in sore trouble. Even her language was marked by doubt and difficulty. "Advise me, Elmer. Tell me what to do. I hardly know which way to turn, and I'm so lonely. Father is busy every day, and I can't talk to him. And Lawrence--I dare not trust him." Here she began to cry softly, and hid her face in her handkerchief. The son of science was perplexed. What should he do or say? All this was new to him. That a young and pretty girl should appeal to him with such earnestness disconcerted him, and he did not know how to act. A problem in triangulation or knotty question in physics would have charmed him and braced him up for any work. This was so new and so peculiar that he said, "Don't cry, cousin," and repented it at once as a silly speech. "I must. It does me good." "Then I would." Thereupon they both laughed heartily and felt better. He recovered his wits at once. "Do you think you really love him?" The man of science is himself again. "No, I don't." "Then--well, it's hardly my place to say it." "Then break the engagement. That's what you mean. I intend to do so; but, Elmer, I wish you could be here with me." "It would be impossible. Oh! I've an idea." "Have you? There! I knew you would help me. You are so bright, Elmer, and so kind----" He nipped her enthusiasm in the bud. "Do you think you could telegraph to me from your pocket?" "I don't know what you mean." "You know the letters now perfectly, and if you had your hand on an armature, you could send off messages quickly?" "Yes. You know I learned the alphabet in one day, and it's nearly a week since you put up that line to my room. Think how we have talked with it already. And you remember the tea table, when the Lawsons and the Stebbens were here. Didn't I answer all your questions about Minna Lawson while I was talking with her by tapping on the table with a spoon?"