if she had not immediately disappeared into her world of poverty,
and it certainly did not belong to Lemuel, nor could I have given
it to him, for he took the ten dollars the lover gave him and
stayed out so late that he was late to work this morning and was
discharged. He said he was going back to Texas. So I brought the
handkerchief and the twelve acorns home, knowing you would be
interested in hearing their story.

When Mr. Billings had thus finished his relation of the
happenings of his long evening, Mrs. Billings was thoughtful for
a minute. Then she said:

"But Rollin, when I spoke to you of the handkerchief and the
twelve acorns you blushed, and said you had reason to blush. I
see nothing in this kind action you did to cause a blush."

"I blushed," said Mr. Billings, "to think of the lie I was
going to tell Theodora Merrill Corwin--"

"I thought you said her name was Theodora Mitchell Corwin,"
said Mrs. Billings.

"Mitchell or Merill," said Mr. Billings. "I cannot remember
exactly which."

For several minutes Mrs. Billings was silent. Occasionally she
would open her mouth as if to ask a question, but each time she
closed it again without speaking. Mr. Billings sat regarding his
wife with what, in a man of less clear conscience, might be
called anxiety. At length Mrs. Billings put her sewing into her