"Every necessity!" she retorted. "Not be interested in one's own family affairs? Why, we should we wanting in intelligence, and we're not that, you know! And we should be wanting in affection, too, and every right feeling; and I hope we are not that either, Mr. Ellis, _quite_. But you needn't be afraid about your own letters. We shan't touch them." "No," drawled Diavolo. "Of course that would be a very different thing." "I am glad you draw the line somewhere," Mr. Ellis observed sarcastically. He was far from satisfied, however, but he noticed eventually that the dust collected on letters of his own if he left them lying about, and he soon discovered that when his intelligent pupils gave their word they kept it uncompromisingly. It was one of their virtues, and the other was loyalty to each other. Their devotion to their mother hardly counted for a virtue, because they never carried it far enough to make any sacrifice for her sake. But they would have sacrificed their very lives for each other, and would have fought for the right to die until there was very little left of either of them to execute; of such peculiar quality were their affections. They had gone straight to Fountain Towers by the shortest cut across the fields that afternoon when Mr. Ellis suggested vivisection as a possible occupation for Dr. Galbraith. They never doubted but that they should discover him hard at work, in some underground cellar most likely, to which they would be guided by the cries of his victims, and would be able to conquer his reluctance to allow them to assist at his experiments, by threats of exposure; and they were considerably chagrined when, having carefully concealed themselves in a thick shrubbery, in order to reconnoitre the house, they came upon him in the garden, innocently occupied in the idle pursuit of pruning rose trees. He was somewhat startled himself when he suddenly saw their hot red faces, set like two moons in a clump of greenery, peeping out at him with animated eyes. "Hollo!" he said. "Are you hungry?" The faces disappeared behind the bushes. "Are we, Angelica?" Diavolo whispered anxiously. "Of course we are," she retorted. "I thought we were too angry--disgusted--disappointed--_something_" he murmured apologetically, but evidently much relieved. Dr. Galbraith went on with his pruning, and presently the twins appeared walking down the proper approach to the garden hand in hand demurely. After they had saluted their host politely, they stood and stared at him. "Well?" he said at last. "I suppose we are too late?" said Angelica. "For what?" he asked, without pausing in his occupation. "For the viv-viv-vivinesectionining." "Vivinesectionining! What on earth--Oh!" Light broke in upon him. "Who told you I was?" "Mr. Ellis," said Angelica. "No, he didn't tell us you were exactly," Diavolo explained with conscientious accuracy. "He asked papa if it was true that you were going to this afternoon?"