Upon the second afternoon of Mark’s absence from home Alice was surprised by the dreaded appearance of Professor Russell. The man had changed his outward guise considerably. His auburn whiskers had given place to a smooth-shaven chin. A red mustache, grizzled with white, decked his upper lip, and his hair was closely cut. Even his eyebrows seemed to have shared in the general cut, and the man looked sleeker and, if possible, more like Uriah Heep than before. Alice did not at first recognize him as he came toward the house, but a glance from those gray-green eyes identified him. She shrank back with a perceptible shudder of abhorrence. “You here, Professor? I supposed you had departed to lands afar!” she exclaimed. “You did not then receive notice of my coming?” he asked, with a meaning look. “Notice? No—why—how could I?” “I have numerous unseen messengers.” Again Alice shivered, and turning toward her sister-in-law, beckoned her approach. Mrs. Wylie left the bunch of prairie flowers she was plucking, and came forward, while at the same time Tibby came around the corner of the house, leading Robert. As Alice presented the Professor to each in her turn, she observed the keen look he cast upon them, and noted later the return of his gaze to Tibby. Her beauty was evidently not lost upon him. As for Tibby, she regarded him steadily, as again and again his eyes sought hers. They appeared like two children trying to look one another out of countenance. Then Russell’s eyes fell and he turned to enter the house, while Tibby, her eyes dancing in triumph, followed him in and sat down opposite him, watching him much as a cat watches the crevice in a wall through which a mouse has disappeared. Evidently Tibby was very ill-bred. There was a peculiar electrical charging of the air. Mrs. Wylie noticed it, and looked apprehensively out of doors to see if a storm was approaching, then at Alice. Alice felt its influence and trembled. Tibby alone seemed unmoved and entirely serene. A wicked, yellow gleam shone in her expressive eyes. “Is your husband at home, Mrs. Cramer?” Russell asked at length, after taking a chair a short distance from the door, and tilting it slightly backward against the wall. “No, I am sorry to say he is not. But why do you ask, Professor? I supposed you always knew.” “I have neglected to make inquiry this time, Mrs. Cramer. Undoubtedly I might have learned had done so.” Tibby rolled up her eyes with an expression of youthful innocence. “What a lovely idea that would be for making calls, Mrs. Wylie! One could always go and leave cards when people were away from home.” Mrs. Wylie shook her head at the girl reprovingly. “Ahem! I have taken the liberty to invite over some of our friends for a meeting to-night,” said the Professor. Mrs. Cramer could hardly repress signs of her annoyance.