"Well, you may as well tell _us_ what you've been concocting, Minerva," interrupted Captain Brett. "You've kept us in the dark about long enough, haven't you? And if I'm to go in there with the procession, I'd like to know a thing or two about where I'm at, instead of sitting around like a dummy! And who is this 'other one' you allude to, anyway?" Miss Minerva laughed at his impatience. "You may well ask, Edwin! I think you must have been about as blind as a bat not to see right along what struck _me_ the very first minute after you told me what the jig-saw things on that bracelet meant! As soon as I heard the word 'Amoy' the idea jumped right into my mind. About two months ago I heard a most wonderful address by a Dr. Atwater, a medical missionary from China, whose headquarters are at the hospital in _Amoy_. And you can easily see that I thought of him at once, when--" "By Jove!" thundered the captain, striking his knee with his fist, "what a jolly goose I've been not to have thought of the _missions_ there at once!" "I should say you were!" commented Miss Minerva, caustically. "You and the major together!" "Well, you see I've never come in contact with them much--" began the captain, apologetically. "Never mind that now," went on Miss Minerva. "I thought of Dr. Atwater right away. He's been there many years, and knows something about most every one in the region, I guess. Anyhow, I decided that I'd get his address (he's in this country on a year's furlough) and write to him about this queer case. And I did. And he has answered me--" "And were you right?" they all interrupted. "I was _so_ right," she announced triumphantly, "that I've asked him to come and tell this story (which he has only outlined in his letter) in full to Miss Benedict. And I want you all to be there to hear it. And what's more, I'm not going to tell you another word about it till you hear it from him, so it's no use to tease for hints! Go right in and ask Miss Benedict when she can arrange for this interview--the sooner, the better!" * * * * * It was not an easy matter to persuade Miss Benedict to grant Aunt Minerva's request. She was shy and timid about receiving strangers, and her affection of the eyes, as well as her curious manner of living, made it hard for her to do so. She had to acknowledge that it would be even harder to see them elsewhere. Nor could she believe that the affair really concerned _her_, except very indirectly--through Cecily, perhaps. It was for Cecily's sake alone that she at last gave a reluctant consent, assigning the following Wednesday afternoon as the appointed time. And the intervening two days was spent by them all in a restless fever of expectation--all, at least, except Aunt Minerva! * * * * *