"There is a vacancy in my house, if Ada will come," I said. "Thank you. Will you go to the Doctor, Ada?" Ada, with tears running freely at last, nodded in answer; and the dying man proceeded to the business which was ever uppermost in his thoughts. "Then, sir, my Library." "Yes. What are you going to do with it? Leave it to the town?" "No, no, no, no!" He was strangely emphatic. "What, then?" I asked. I had an uneasy feeling that the Library was going to be bequeathed to me, and I did not want it in the least. But my fears were relieved at once. "I intend to leave it to Ada--temporarily." "Temporarily?" "Yes. But as she will be an inmate of your household, she will probably desire to take you into her confidence, and possibly avail herself of your assistance." His voice failed again; his grip on life was relaxing rapidly. Then he recovered himself, and almost sat up. "Will you promise me, sir, to assist Ada to carry out my wishes with regard to the disposal--" "I promise," I said. "Don't exhaust yourself." The old man sank back, with a long and gentle sigh. "Then I die contented, and reassured. Re--" His voice weakened again. Then he rallied, for a final effort: "I have lived respected, I think!" That was all. I looked across to Ada, and nodded. Characteristically, she rose from her knees, crossed to the window, and drew down the blind. VIII Next morning, Ada Weeks and I sat facing one another in my study, across a newly opened packing-case. It contained Mr. Baxter's Library. "But why must we?" I asked. "We needn't worry why. He said every blessed book was to be destroyed, and that's all there is about it. Mr. McAndrew is burning rubbish outside: I've told him we've got some more for him. Let's get it over, and go back to Grampa--sir," concluded Ada suddenly, remembering somewhat tardily that she was addressing her employer. We unpacked the books. First came some musty theological tomes. "He knew a lot out of them," remarked Ada. "Used to fire it off at the Rector, and people who didn't believe in religion, or couldn't. He picked it all up from his old Archdeacon, though, long before I came to him." "When did you come, by the way?"