that ought to be ashamed. Landin' on you this way in the middle of the
night. You're awfully good to take us in at all. My cousin and I were
on our way to the hotel, but Cap'n Bangs wouldn't hear of it. He's
responsible for our comin' here."

Miss Parker nodded.

"Cap'n Obed is the most hospital soul livin'," she said, grandly. "He
done just right. If he'd done anything else Kenelm and I would have felt
hurt. I--Look out!" with a sudden snatch at her brother's shirt front.
"There goes that tie. Another second and 'twould have been right in your
plate."

Kenelm snapped the loop of the "made" tie over his collar button. "Don't
grab at me that way, Hannah," he protested mildly. "I'm kind of nervous
tonight, after what I've been through. 'Twouldn't have done no great
harm if I had dropped it. I could pick it up again, couldn't I?"

"You could, but I doubt if you would. You might have ate it, you're
so absent-minded. Nervous! YOU nervous! What do you think of me? Mrs.
Barnes," turning to Thankful and once more resuming the "company"
manner, "you'll excuse our bein' a little upset. You see, when my
brother came home and said he'd seen lights movin' around in the old
Barnes' house, he frightened us all pretty near to death. All Cap'n Obed
could think of was tramps, or thieves or somethin'. Nothin' would do but
he must drag Kenelm right back to see who or what was in there. And I
was left alone to imagine all sorts of dreadful things. Tramps I might
stand. They belong to this world, anyhow. But in THAT house, at eleven
o'clock at night, I--Mrs. Barnes, do you believe in aberrations?"