brother."

"That's very strange, isn't it?"

"Yes, and what is more so," answered the girl, "for several days past
there have been several men about the neighborhood who are strangers,
and Mrs. Andrews is very much frightened about it. She is afraid to go
out of the house, and seems almost afraid to move."

"Does she think they have anything to do with her?" asked Vinton,
surprisedly.

"Oh, I don't know about that; but it is a very unusual thing to have
strange men loitering about our neighborhood, and she feels very nervous
about it."

Vinton expressed his profound sympathy for the unfortunate family, and
without hinting any suspicion that anything of a criminal nature had
occurred, he parted from the young lady and returned to his home.

A few evenings after this, Vinton again called upon Mary Crilly, and
while he was conversing with her, Mrs. Andrews came into the room.

"Mr. Vinton," said she, "before you go, I want to give you a couple of
letters to post for me, if it is not too much trouble."

"Certainly not," he replied, "anything I can do for you, Mrs. Andrews,
will be cheerfully done by me, I assure you."

"Thanks," said the lady, "I will have them ready before you leave, and