sitting-room combined. The floor was covered with a carpet like
green velvet. There were fine lace curtains at the windows and
beautiful pictures on the walls. There was a little white bed,
and a dressing-table, a bookcase full of books, a stand with a
work basket on it, and a rocking-chair. There was a woman's
picture above the bookcase. Mrs. Griggs says she thinks it was a
coloured photograph, but she didn't know who it was. Anyway, it
was a very pretty girl. But the most amazing thing of all was
that A WOMAN'S DRESS was hanging over a chair by the table. Mrs.
Griggs says it NEVER belonged to Jasper Dale's mother, for she
thought it a sin to wear anything but print and drugget; and this
dress was of PALE BLUE silk. Besides that, there was a pair of
blue satin slippers on the floor beside it--HIGH-HEELED slippers.
And on the fly-leaves of the books the name 'Alice' was written.
Now, there never was an Alice in the Dale connection and nobody
ever heard of the Awkward Man having a sweetheart. There, isn't
that a lovely mystery?"

"It's a pretty queer yarn," said Felix. "I wonder if it is
true--and what it means."

"I intend to find out what it means," said the Story Girl. "I am
going to get acquainted with the Awkward Man sometime, and then
I'll find out his Alice-secret."

"I don't see how you'll ever get acquainted with him," said
Felicity. "He never goes anywhere except to church. He just
stays home and reads books when he isn't working. Mother says he
is a perfect hermit."