chicken in that brood; and my belief is she's like the ugly duck
Hazel used to read about. But she ought to have a chance; if she's a
swan, she oughtn't to be trapesed off among the weeds and on the dry
ground. 'Tisn't even ducks she's hatched with; they don't take to
the same element."

"I'll speak to Uncle Titus, and I will think," said Mrs. Ripwinkley.

But before she did that, that same afternoon by the six o'clock
penny post, a little note went to Mr. Oldways:--

"DEAR UNCLE TITUS,--

"I want to talk with you a little. If I were well, I should
come to see you in your study. Will you come up here, and see
me in my room?

"Yours sincerely, DESIRE LEDWITH."

Uncle Titus liked that. It counted upon something in him which few
had the faith to count upon; which, truly he gave few people reason
to expect to find.

He put his hat directly on, took up his thick brown stick, and
trudged off, up Borden Street to Shubarton Place.

When Luclarion let him in, he told her with some careful emphasis,
that he had come to see Desire.

"Ask her if I shall come up," he said. "I'll wait down here."