"And _I_ have curtailed you down to Nat!" said Cyn, with whimsical remorse. "But what a tangle we are in! First it was the man of musk and bear's grease, who came between you! Then, when he was explained away, came blundering I! Why did you not lock me out of sight somewhere? I would have done it myself had I known--" ironically-- "what an extremely fascinating and dangerous person I was!" At this Nattie could not help smiling. "Is was not your fault; it was Fate!" she said, her smile becoming a sigh, that Cyn echoed, for she thought of Jo. But yet unconvinced, she said, "Fate! No; it cannot be! I think better of Clem than to believe he, too, has made a mistake, like Quimby, and fallen in love with the wrong woman!" then starting up, she exclaimed, tragically, "Who? ah! who shall cut the Gordian knot and bring about a crisis that shall cause this 'wired love' to terminate in 'O. K.'?" As if invoked by Cyn's words, there came a sneeze from outside, and Miss Kling pushed open the door unceremoniously. "I wish to have some conversation with you, Miss Rogers," she said in a tone of severity. "Some other time, if you please," Nattie replied, impatiently, for her talk with Cyn had unnerved her; "just now I am engaged." Miss Kling drew herself up and said, with even more austerity, "There is no time like the present, and since Miss Archer is here, it may not be amiss for her to hear what I have to say." Nattie frowned, but Cyn, not unwilling to be diverted even by Miss Kling from the topic that was so annoying her, said, "Very well. We are listening, Miss Kling." "Miss Rogers," proceeded Miss Kling solemnly, after a preparatory sneeze, "I know _all_." The emphasis on the last word was truly tremendous, and Nattie started astonished, while Cyn looked up with awakened curiosity. "May I inquire what you mean by all?" inquired Nattie stiffly. "Yes," repeated Miss Kling, without heeding the question. "I know ALL. I have for some time suspected that something underhanded was going on. Now I know what it is that has been so carefully concealed from me! I have long objected to your associates, Miss Rogers, but--" "Pardon me, but that certainly does not concern you!" interrupted Cyn disdainfully. Miss Kling looked at her and sneezed a sinister sneeze.