"Oh, my gracious!" cried the old lady, all flustered. "I quite forgot--so he has! He wants to see you. He came while the doctor was here. I told him to wait, and I'd--I--clean forgot--oh, dear! I'll tell him to come up. Excuse me, dear, I'm all upside down to-day." With more excuses the landlady bounced out of the room, leaving the two together. Harry had been listening at the keyhole, and now he eyed Paula sheepishly. There was an awkward silence. Finally he took courage, and said: "Miss Paula--I want you to forgive my mother's meddling with our affairs. I promised you I would never speak of marriage again, and I won't. But I can't get mother to--stop spreading the news. She has told Mr. Ricaby, she has told Dr. Zacharie, and now she has just told Mr. Chase that--that the matter between us is settled." Paula gasped with mingled surprise and indignation. "Mr. Chase! Oh! And Dr. Zacharie! Oh!" "Don't be too hard on her, Miss Marsh," he said apologetically, "it's the vanity of the mother, she thinks her son is good enough for any one, just because he's her son. But he isn't--I know it, and--when he's a confirmed bachelor of eighty she'll know it, too." "I hope she's alive then," smiled Paula, who had recovered her good nature. Just then the door opened, and Tod entered. He first looked at Paula, and, with a grimace, extended his hand to Harry Parkes. "First of all--congratulations!" he said. Offering his hand to Paula, he said: "Congratulations!" The young girl showed impatience. "Please, Mr. Chase--don't jest!" she cried. "What!" exclaimed Tod, a pleased expression on his face, "nothing in it?" "Nothing at all!" replied Paula laconically. Tod looked immensely relieved. Then, turning the subject, he said in a low tone: "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Paula, but it's bound to be in all the papers to-night." "Bad news!" exclaimed Paula apprehensively. "What is it? Tell me; I'm used to that." Harry moved towards the door. "If you'll pardon me I'll go." He went out, closing the door behind him. Approaching Paula, Tod said earnestly: "I should have come here before, only I could not get away. I'm keeping tabs on Cooley. I wanted to warn Ricaby. Ricaby is all right, but he doesn't seem to know how to handle the case. He gets the worst of it every time." "What is the news?" demanded Paula uneasily. "Well, they've arrested Ricaby!" "Arrested him! What for?" "For debt. It appears that he has borrowed money on some securities left in his charge by a client, or something of that sort. He was taken from his office this morning to the City Hall Court. He's trying to get bail." "Mr. Ricaby in prison!" cried Paula. "The only friend I have in the world!"