Ruth was rather awed by his excessive dignity, and because she was
a little nervous, and tired from her long journey, felt an intense
desire to laugh at him, at herself, or at nothing at all, for that
matter. She managed to restrain herself, however, and with a meek
"thank you," picked up her bag and went up-stairs.

Arthur saw her disappear with a sigh of relief. "I'll wait until
she gets nicely settled in her room, and then I'll crawl up-stairs,"
he said to himself, dropping wearily into one of the hall chairs.
He had sat there but a moment when to his horror he heard some one
coming quickly through the dining-room, and then a surprised voice
said:

"Why, Arthur! How good it seems to see you down-stairs again!"

"Oh, hello, Betty," answered Arthur, immensely relieved to find
that it was no one more formidable. "How did you get in?"

"I slipped in the back door and found Ellen just coming down-stairs
rubbing her eyes. She said she thought she heard the bell ring,
but wasn't sure," finished Betty with a mischievous twinkle in her
eye. "I saw it all from my window, and knew your mother had gone
in town, so I thought I'd run over and see if I could do anything
for any one."

"You're a trump, Betty, and you can do something," answered Arthur
gratefully. "Of course I had to ask her to go up to her room, and
I was just thinking she'd be rather forlorn sitting there until
mother gets here. It will be just the thing for you to go up and