“Jim, why are youse about here with that dirty face? Seems to me youse might have some thought for me. Now, get out of here and don’t come again until it can be clean.” “He’s gone back on me,” said Jim, pointing his finger to the library door. “Glad of it,” said the woman; “you are both as bad as you can be. I hope you will find your way to jail for being so mean to our little girl when she was small. If she were not an angel she would not let any of you people in the house.” “Oh, wouldn’t she?” cried he. “Well, she’d better not get too flip, for Mr. Benson runs this house.” “Who said he did?” asked the Irishwoman, her blue eyes fastening upon the man keenly. “He did,” replied Jim, looking toward Benson’s door. Biddy muttered something about things going topsy turvy and that she would tell Nellie her mind, and Jim walked out. He slouched along the street with his hands in his pockets. His idea was to think of some way he could get even with Benson without running any risk himself. * * * * * One afternoon Nellie was sitting writing her daily letter to Tom. Her mind had left the sheet before her, and with her eyes fixed upon the ivy-covered church opposite she tried to weave a day dream which would bring her happiness. How many weary months had passed since her Tom had gone to prison, and each day her cousin became more insufferable and she hated him more and more. He had constantly persecuted her with his attentions. It would be well to cite a little episode which had happened only a few days before. Benson had gotten it into his mind that Biddy interfered with Nellie as far as he was concerned; that is, influenced her against him, so he determined to banish the woman from the house, and with this intention he set about finding a woman who would take Biddy’s place. One morning he sent a peremptory message to Nellie to come to him in the library, which was his favorite place to meet her. “Helen,” said he, rising at her entrance, “you will listen to what I am going to say to you, and know, please, before I begin, that it is for your own good that I speak.” “Then do not hesitate,” replied the girl with so much sarcasm in her voice that the man’s face flooded with color. “Please do not use that tone to me,” said he sternly. “Very well,” and Helen sank gracefully back into her seat. “Helen,” and Benson commenced in low, measured tones, “you are much younger than I am, but that is no reason why I should not care for you or you for me. I am only your second cousin.” The man paused a moment, and Nellie, thinking it incumbent upon her to speak, said: “I do not see what you mean.” “This,” replied Benson. “Nellie, I love you. I want you to be my wife, and because I do love you I desire that you should come under good influence, and I require that you should allow Biddy to leave this house. It is a shame to keep her here.” The girl’s face changed color. She did not speak and allowed him to go on.