Everything in the house went smoothly, as Lucy was a methodical young

person, who went by the clock and the almanac. Braddock little knew how

much of his undeniable comfort he owed to her fostering care; for,

prior to her return from school, he had been robbed right and left by

unscrupulous domestics. When his step-daughter arrived he simply handed

over the keys and the housekeeping money--a fixed sum--and gave her

strict instructions not to bother him. Miss Kendal faithfully observed

this injunction, as she enjoyed being undisputed mistress, and knew

that, so long as her step-father had his meals, his bed, his bath

and his clothes, he required nothing save the constant society of his

beloved mummies, of which no one wished to deprive him. These he dusted

and cleansed and rearranged himself. Not even Lucy dared to invade the

museum, and the mere mention of spring cleaning drove the Professor into

displaying frantic rage, in which he used bad language.

On returning from her walk with Archie, the girl had lured her

step-father into assuming a rusty dress suit, which had done service for

many years, and had coaxed him into a promise to be present at dinner.

Mrs. Jasher, the lively widow of the district, was coming, and Braddock

approved of a woman who looked up to him as the one wise man in the

world. Even science is susceptible to judicious flattery, and Mrs.

Jasher was never backward in putting her admiration into words.

Female gossip declared that the widow wished to become the second Mrs.

Braddock, but if this was really the case, she had but small chance of

gaining her end. The Professor had once sacrificed his liberty to secure

a competence, and, having acquired five hundred a year, was not inclined

for a second matrimonial venture. Had the widow been a dollar heiress

with a million at her back he would not have troubled to place a ring

on her finger. And certainly Mrs. Jasher had little to gain from such a

dreary marriage, beyond a collection of rubbish--as she said--and a

dull country house situated in a district inhabited solely by peasants

belonging to Saxon times.

Archie Hope left Lucy at the door of the Pyramids and repaired to his

village lodgings, for the purpose of assuming evening dress. Lucy, being

her own housekeeper, assisted the overworked parlor maid to lay and

decorate the table before receiving the guests. Thus Mrs. Jasher found

no one in the drawing-room to welcome her, and, taking the privilege of

old friendship, descended to beard Braddock in his den. The Professor

raised his eyes from a newly bought scarabeus to behold a stout little

lady smiling on him from the doorway. He did not appear to be grateful

for the interruption, but Mrs. Jasher was not at all dismayed, being

a man-hunter by profession. Besides, she saw that Braddock was in the

clouds as usual, and would have received the King himself in the same

absent-minded manner.




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