"What in the name of mischief!" cried a voice, and there was the

mistress of the house standing in the doorway. Her gaze at first had

merely taken in the fact that two strangers were standing screaming upon

her red plush sofa. A glance at the fireplace, however, showed her the

cause of the terror, and she burst into a hearty fit of laughter.

"Charley," she shouted, "here's Eliza misbehaving again."

"I'll settle her," answered a masculine voice, and the young man dashed

into the room. He had a brown horse-cloth in his hand, which he

threw over the basket, making it fast with a piece of twine so as to

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effectually imprison its inmate, while his aunt ran across to reassure

her visitors.

"It is only a rock snake," she explained.

"Oh, Bertha!" "Oh, Monica!" gasped the poor exhausted gentlewomen.

"She's hatching out some eggs. That is why we have the fire. Eliza

always does better when she is warm. She is a sweet, gentle creature,

but no doubt she thought that you had designs upon her eggs. I suppose

that you did not touch any of them?"

"Oh, let us get away, Bertha!" cried Monica, with her thin, black-gloved

hands thrown forwards in abhorrence.

"Not away, but into the next room," said Mrs. Westmacott, with the air

of one whose word was law. "This way, if you please! It is less warm

here." She led the way into a very handsomely appointed library, with

three great cases of books, and upon the fourth side a long yellow table

littered over with papers and scientific instruments. "Sit here, and

you, there," she continued. "That is right. Now let me see, which of you

is Miss Williams, and which Miss Bertha Williams?"

"I am Miss Williams," said Monica, still palpitating, and glancing

furtively about in dread of some new horror.

"And you live, as I understand, over at the pretty little cottage. It is

very nice of you to call so early. I don't suppose that we shall get

on, but still the intention is equally good." She crossed her legs and

leaned her back against the marble mantelpiece.

"We thought that perhaps we might be of some assistance," said Bertha,

timidly. "If there is anything which we could do to make you feel more

at home----"

"Oh, thank you, I am too old a traveler to feel anything but at home

wherever I go. I've just come back from a few months in the Marquesas

Islands, where I had a very pleasant visit. That was where I got Eliza.

In many respects the Marquesas Islands now lead the world."




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