How absurd!

But where had she heard the name of Hathaway before? She puzzled her
brain to remember. Did it belong to any of her schoolgirl friends? Or
was it--

With a sudden thought she sprang from her bed and took her watch from
the dresser. It was an old watch, given her by Mamma Bee on the girl's
twelfth birthday, while she was living with the Conants, and her mother
had bidden her to treasure it because it had belonged to her when she
was a girl of Mary Louise's age. The watch was stem-winding and had a
closed case, the back lid of which had seldom been opened because it
fitted very tightly. But now Mary Louise pried it open with a hatpin and
carried it to the light. On the inside of the gold case the following
words were engraved:

"Beatrice Hathaway, from her loving Father."

Mary Louise stared at this inscription for a long while. For the first
time, ugly doubts began to creep into her heart. The officer was right
when he said that James Hathaway was masquerading under the false name
of Colonel Weatherby. Gran'pa Jim had never told even Mary Louise that
his real name was Hathaway; Mamma Bee had never told her, either. With a
deep sigh she snapped the case of the watch in place and then began to
dress.

It was still too early for breakfast when she had finished her toilet,
so she sat by the open window of her room, looking down into the street,
and tried to solve the mystery of Gran'pa Jim. Better thoughts came to
her, inspiring her with new courage. Her grandfather had changed his