but in an instant there fell a shadow upon his face as he thought of
_Tom_, his tormentor, who worried him so much.

'What is it?' Mrs. Tracy asked, as she detected in him a disposition to
reconsider.

'Will Tom be up in the hall?' Harold asked.

'Of course not,' Mrs. Tracy replied. 'He will be in the parlors until
ten o'clock, and then he will go to bed. Why do you ask?'

'Because,' Harold answered fearlessly, 'if he was to be there I could
not come; he chaffs me so and twits me with being poor and living in a
house his uncle gave us.'

'That is very naughty in him, and I will see that he behaves better in
future,' said Mrs. Tracy, rather amused than other wise at the boy's
frankness.

As the mention of the uncle reminded Harold of the telegram, he took it
from his pocket and handed it to her.

'Mr. Tracy said I was to bring you this. It's from Mr. Arthur, and he's
coming to-night. I'm so glad, and grandma will be, too!'

If Mrs. Tracy heard the last of Harold's speech she did not heed it, for
she had caught the words that Arthur was coming that night, and, for a
moment, she felt giddy and faint, and her hand shook so she could
scarcely open the telegram.