"What are you doing with it here ?" "I was--I was--er--was going to--to get it all ready to--to take up to myself to-morrow." Jack took the tray from Matilda's nerveless hands.
[Illustration: "WHAT'S THAT YOU'RE CARRYING ?"] "Sit down, Matilda," firmly pressing her into a chair.

"Mary, have you some salts in that bag." "Yes, Jack." In an instant Mary had a bottle from her bag and was holding it beneath Matilda's nose.

"You'll be all right in just a moment.

Take it easy.

The surprise must have been too much for you.
For it was a big surprise, wasn't it ?" "Yes, ma'am," replied Matilda, for the first time speaking with no hesitancy.
"Matilda, it's almost provoking the way you ignore my request to call me Mary." "Ah--er--" staring wildly--"yes, Mary." Jack moved to the wall near the door, where were several buttons.
"Mary, I'm going to ring for William--we'd better take him into this thing straight off, or he may stumble on the fact that extra people are in the house and call in the police." At her crack in the pantry door, Mrs.De Peyster grew even more apprehensive.
Jack and Mary cooed; Matilda sat all of a heap; and presently William walked in.