I hadn't realized till I
felt them smarting on my eyelids how deeply hurt I was at the
unnatural behavior of Aunt Jane.
"Ah--I'm afraid you are really not quite all right!" returned the
Honorable Cuthbert with profound concern. "Tell me what's the
matter--please do!"
I shook my head. "It's nothing--you couldn't help me. It's
just--Aunt Jane."
"Your aunt? Has she been kicking-up a bit? I thought she looked
rather a mild sort."
"Oh--mild! That's just it--so mild that she has let this awful
Higglesby-Browne person get possession of her body and soul."
"Oh, I say, aren't you a bit rough on Miss Browne? Thought she was
a rather remarkable old party--goes in strong for intellect and all
that, you know."
"That's just what fooled Aunt Jane so--but, I thought a man would
know better." My feathers were ruffled again.
"Well, fact is, I'm not so much up in that sort of thing myself,"
he admitted modestly. "Rather took her word for it and all that,
you know. There's Shaw, though--cleverest chap going, I assure
you. I rather fancy Miss Browne couldn't pull the wool over _his_
eyes much."
"She evidently did, though," I said snappishly, "since he's let her
rope him in for such a wild goose chase as this!" In my heart I
felt convinced that the clever Mr. Shaw was merely Miss Browne's
partner in imposture.
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