will dine a little earlier, though, Cornelia, say a quarter before six.
I have invited--"

"What's up, Archibald?" interrupted Miss Carlyle.

"Up! Nothing that I know of. I am very busy, Cornelia, and Colonel
Bethel is waiting; I will talk to you at dinner-time. I have invited a
party for to-night."

"A party!" echoed Miss Carlyle.

"Four or five of the justices are coming in to smoke their pipes. You
must put out your father's leaden tobacco-box, and--"

"They shan't come!" screamed Miss Carlyle. "Do you think I'll be
poisoned with tobacco smoke from a dozen pipes?"

"You need not sit in the room."

"Nor they either. Clean curtains are just put up throughout the house,
and I'll have no horrid pipes to blacken them."

"I'll buy you some new curtains, Cornelia, if their pipes spoil these,"
he quietly replied. "And now, Cornelia, I really must beg you to leave
me."

"When I have come to the bottom of this affair with Barbara Hare,"
resolutely returned Miss Corny, dropping the point of the contest as to
the pipes. "You are very clever, Archie, but you can't do me. I asked
Barbara what she came here for; business for mamma, touching money