of September, I relied implicitly, it will be observed, on a
young lady's punctuality in keeping an appointment which she had
herself made. I can only account for such extraordinary
simplicity on my part on the supposition that my wits had become
sadly rusted by long seclusion from society. Whether it was
referable to this cause or not, my innocent trustfulness was at
any rate destined to be practically rebuked before long in the
most surprising manner. Little did I suspect, when I parted from
the upholsterer on the fifth of the month, what the tenth of the
month had in store for me.

On the seventh I made up my mind to have the bedroom furnished at
once, and to postpone the question of the sitting-room for a few
days longer. Having dispatched the necessary order to that
effect, I next wrote to hire the piano and to order the box of
novels. This done, I congratulated myself on the forward state of
the preparations, and sat down to repose in the atmosphere of my
own happy delusions.

On the ninth the wagon arrived with the furniture, and the men
set to work on the bedroom. From this moment Morgan retired
definitely to the top of the tower, and Owen became too nervous
to lay the necessary amount of paint on the Earthquake at Lisbon.

On the tenth the work was proceeding bravely. Toward noon Owen
and I strolled to the door to enjoy the fine autumn sunshine. We
were sitting lazily on our favorite bench in front of the tower
when we were startled by a shout from above us. Looking up
directly, we saw Morgan half in and half out of his narrow window
In the seventh story, gesticulating violently with the stem of