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…place。 And now；〃 continued Barbara； 〃I want you to advise me； had I better inform mamma that Richard is here； or not？〃
Mr。 Carlyle did not understand； and said so。
〃I declare I am bewildered；〃 she exclaimed。 〃I should have premised that I have not yet told mamma it is Richard himself who is here； but that he has sent a messenger to beg for this money。 Would it be advisable to acquaint her？〃
〃Why should you not？ I think you ought to do so。〃
〃Then I will； I was fearing the hazard for she is sure to insist upon seeing him。 Richard also wishes for an interview。〃
〃It is only natural。 Mrs。 Hare must be thankful to hear so far； that he is safe。〃
〃I never saw anything like it；〃 returned Barbara； 〃the change is akin to magic； she says it has put life into her anew。 And now for the last thing； how can we secure papa's absence from home to…night？ It must be accomplished in some way。 You know his temper： were I or mamma to suggest to him； to go and see some friend； or to go to the club； he would immediately stop at home。 Can you devise any plan？ You see I appeal to you in all my troubles；〃 she added； 〃like I and Anne used to do when we were children。〃
It may be questioned if Mr。 Carlyle heard the last remark。 He had dropped his eyelids in thought。 〃Have you told me all？〃 he asked presently； lifting them。
〃I think so。〃
〃Then I will consider it over； and〃
〃I shall not like to come here again；〃 interrupted Barbara。 〃Itit might excite suspicions； some one might see me； too； and mention it to papa。 Neither ought you to send to our house。〃
〃Wellcontrive to be in the street at four this afternoon。 Stay； that's your dinner hour； be walking up the street at three； three precisely； I will meet you。〃
He rose； shook hands； and escorted Barbara through the small hall； along the passage to the house door； a courtesy probably not yet shown to any client by Mr。 Carlyle。 The house door closed upon her； and Barbara had taken one step from it； when something large loomed down upon her； like a ship in full sail。
She must have been the tallest lady in the worldout of a caravan。 A fine woman in her day； but angular and bony now。 Still； in spite of the angles and the bones； there was majesty in the appearance of Miss Carlyle。
〃Whywhat on earth！〃 began she； 〃have /you/ been with Archibald for？〃
Barbara Hare； wishing Miss Carlyle over in Asia； stammered out the excuse she had given Mr。 Dill。
〃Your mamma sent you on business！ I never heard of such a thing。 Twice I have been to see Archibald； and twice did Dill answer that he was engaged and must not be interrupted。 I shall make old Dill explain his meaning for observing a mystery over it to me。〃
〃There is no mystery；〃 answered Barbara； feeling quite sick lest Miss Carlyle should proclaim there was； before the clerks； or her father。 〃Mamma wanted Mr。 Carlyle's opinion upon a little private business； and not feeling well enough to come herself； she sent me。〃
Miss Carlyle did not believe a word。 〃What business？〃 asked she unceremoniously。
〃It is nothing that could interest you。 A trifling matter； relating to a little money。 It's nothing； indeed。〃
〃Then； if it's nothing； why were you closeted so long with Archibald？〃
〃He was asking the particulars；〃 replied Barbara； recovering her equanimity。
Miss Carlyle sniffed； as she invariably did； when dissenting from a problem。 She was sure there was some mystery astir。 She turned and walked down the street with Barbara； but she was none the more likely to get anything out of her。
Mr。 Carlyle returned to his room； deliberated a few moments； and then rang his bell。 A clerk answered it。
〃Go to the Buck's Head。 If Mr。 Hare and the other magistrates are there； ask them to step over to me。〃
The young man did as he was bid； and came back with the noted justices at his heels。 They obeyed the summons with alacrity； for they believed they had got themselves into a judicial scrape； and that Mr。 Carlyle alone could get them out of it。
〃I will not request you to sit down；〃 began Mr。 Carlyle； 〃for it is barely a moment I shall detain you。 The more I think about this man's having been put in prison； the less I like it； and I have been considering that you had better all five； come and smoke your pipes at my house this evening； when we shall have time to discuss what must be done。 Come at seven； not later； and you will find my father's old jar replenished with the best broadcut； and half a dozen churchwarden pipes。 Shall it be so？〃
The whole five accepted the invitation eagerly。 And they were filing out when Mr。 Carlyle laid his finger on the arm of Justice Hare。
〃/You/ will be sure to come； Hare；〃 he whispered。 〃We could not get on without you； all heads；〃 with a slight inclination towards those going out； 〃are not gifted with the clear good sense of yours。〃
〃Sure and certain；〃 responded the gratified justice； 〃fire and water shouldn't keep me away。〃
Soon after Mr。 Carlyle was left alone another clerk entered。
〃Miss Carlyle is asking to see you； sir； and Colonel Bethel's come again。〃
〃Send in Miss Carlyle first；〃 was the answer。 〃What is it； Cornelia？〃
〃Ah！ You may well ask what？ Saying this morning that you could not dine at six； as usual； and then marching off； and never fixing the hour。 How can I give my orders？〃
〃I thought business would have called me out； but I am not going now。 We will dine a little earlier； though； Cornelia； say a quarter before six。 I have invited〃
〃What's up； Archibald？〃 interrupted Miss Carlyle。
〃Up！ Nothing that I know of。 I am very busy； Cornelia； and Colonel Bethel is waiting； I will talk to you at dinner…time。 I have invited a party for to…night。〃
〃A party！〃 echoed Miss Carlyle。
〃Four or five of the justices are coming in to smoke their pipes。 You must put out your father's leaden tobacco…box； and〃
〃They shan't come！〃 screamed Miss Carlyle。 〃Do you think I'll be poisoned with tobacco smoke from a dozen pipes？〃
〃You need not sit in the room。〃
〃Nor they either。 Clean curtains are just put up throughout the house； and I'll have no horrid pipes to blacken them。〃
〃I'll buy you some new curtains； Cornelia； if their pipes spoil these；〃 he quietly replied。 〃And now； Cornelia； I really must beg you to leave me。〃
〃When I have come to the bottom of this affair with Barbara Hare；〃 resolutely returned Miss Corny； dropping the point of the contest as to the pipes。 〃You are very clever； Archie； but you can't do me。 I asked Barbara what she came here for； business for mamma； touching money matters； was her reply。 I ask you： to hear your opinion about the scrape the bench have got into； is yours。 Now； it's neither one nor the other； and I tell you； Archibald； I'll hear what it is。 I should like to know what you and Barbara do with a secret between you。〃
Mr。 Carlyle knew her and her resolute expression well； and he took his course； to tell her the truth。 She was； to borrow the words Barbara had used to her brother with regard to him； true as steel。 Confide to Miss Carlyle a secret； and she was trustworthy and impervious as he could be； but let her come to suspect that there was a secret which was being kept from her； and she would set to work like a f