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 “If I could speak to you alone a moment,” said Mr. Burns, raising his voice, at which the young ladies filed haughtily from the room, the half-awakened Josephine being dragged in the rear. “Now, ma’am, the truth is I’m a detective an’ I’ve got a warrant to arrest this precious young couple for kidnapping. This news of yours about the weddin’ notice clears up any doubt, an’ I’ll just serve the paper to-night, please.”

Mrs. Trent was crying. “I’m sure I never meant to hurt ’em, poor young things. To think of havin’ people arrested out of my own lodgin’s. Why, it ain’t respectable, Mr. Burns!”

“Oh, the arrestin’ll be respectable enough. I’ll do it quite quiet an’ handsome. Now will you just go, please, an’ tell ‘em the honour of their comp’ny is requested, or will I break the glad tidin’s myself?” Rh