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80 proach. The elder woman gave the address to the coachman and then sprang in.

Hardly had the door closed when she looked at Letitia with a kindling eye, and said:

"Oh, Tishy, I know the funniest thing!"

Letitia knew that her sister had something of note to impart. Mrs. Gault's dark cheek was flushed a fine brick-red, her eye was alight. She was pulling on her gloves as she spoke.

"Do you remember that night, only a few weeks ago, when you asked John about Colonel Reed's daughter?"

"Yes."

"And do you remember that he said he 'd never seen her?"

"No, he did n't say that," corrected Letitia; "he said he 'd heard of her."

"And what else?" asked the other, stopping in her glove-pulling to fix Letitia with a keen eye.

"I don't think he said anything else. I don't remember anything."

"But he certainly led us to believe that he did n't know her. Did n't he, now?"

Letitia paled slightly. Her eyes, looking frankly troubled, were fastened on her sister.

"Yes—I think so. Why?"

"Well, my dear," said Mrs. Gault, bridling with the consciousness of her important announcement, "he knows her well. He goes