“Yes,--middle-aged, or more.” Then seeing his obvious anxiety, Nellie went on quickly: “And so I thought, Bob, if it were anything very bad--I mean if you did not want to see him, that you might go on to Mr. Overton’s, and I would tell him you had gone away.” “Tell a lie, Nellie?” “Oh, don’t be stupid and irritating, Bob. My uncle has not been well lately. He could not bear anything more. It is of him I am thinking. It would be too terrible, if, if----” “If they jugged me at last. Well, I don’t think that they will.” His light-heartedness did not entirely relieve her mind, and at their own gate she stopped again. “Do be careful. Think before you go in, Bob,” she said; and then, seeing him smiling, she added, “Oh, I almost wish you had never come back at all!” “What!” he cried, “am I more trouble than the two hundred dollars a month is worth?” “Yes,” she answered crossly. “Perhaps if you will tell that to Emmons, he will raise my salary.” She was not at all amused. “Bob,” she said as she drew up before the door, “don’t go in. I really do not feel as if I could bear another scandal. Don’t be foolhardy. This man is terribly mysterious.” “Why, you excite my curiosity,” he said, and gently putting her out of his path, he went into the house ahead of her and found himself confronted by Doctor Nuñez. The ensuing conference was long. Dinner came and went; but still Vickers was shut up in the little library with his strange visitor. Mr. Lee had gone to bed, Emmons had long since arrived, but his _fiancée_ gave him but a strained attention. She sat listening for the opening of the library door. If the voices within were raised enough to become audible, she thought that a quarrel was in progress; if they sank, the silence terrified her more. “Now some people like a straight southerly exposure,” Emmons was saying, “but give me a southwesterly. You get the sun in----” Nellie suddenly stood up. “What can they be doing?” she said. “That queer-looking man has been here over three hours.” “Up to no good, the two of them, I have no doubt,” said Emmons, and added, “I hope you don’t keep much money in the house.” She turned on him sharply. “How absurd you are, James. You can’t suppose--” but she was cut short by the opening of the library door, and the sound of the two men’s voices, as they crossed the hall. “Do you know any Spanish, James?” she asked quickly. Emmons shook his head. “I speak no language but my own,” he answered proudly. As the front door shut, Nellie left him unceremoniously, and went out to the front piazza, where Vickers was standing after having said good-by to his visitor. His head was bent and his hands were in his pockets. Nellie came and stood silently beside him. She was conscious of being nervous. She could feel her heart beating. She felt that something important had happened. They stood like this for several seconds, and then fearing that Emmons would join them before she had heard, Nellie said: “Bob?”