The Disentanglers

s outer door, and the sound of that boy's strangled chuckling was distinctly audible to his employer. There is something irritating in the foolish merriment of a youthful menial.

ton's mind as he exclaimed 'Come in,'

en behind him, whence came a clear and piercing trill of feminine laughter from Miss Blossom. Merton angrily marched to the inner door, and shut his typewriter in with a bang. His heart burned within him. Nothing could be so insulting to clients; nothing so ruinous to a nascent business. He wh

, hand in hand, a pair of small children, a boy of nine in sailor costume, but with bare kne

eyebrows, promise of an aquiline nose, and two large black eyes. 'I think, sir,' sa

Merton, gravely; 'may I ask yo

and sat down beside her himself. She threw her arms round his neck, and laid her flaxen curls on his shoulder. Her blue ey

said Mr. Apsley, showing his hand, which was warm, and hold

it; it contained the ad

said, 'I w

them,' said Mr. Apsley, with equal so

erton, wondering why he was suppo

like you: you are pre

t an early stage of a business interview. He therefore kissed his fair client, who put up a pair

ed you, though I am delighted to see you,' he said to Mr. Apsley. 'We hav

others." It was in print,' remarked Mr. Apsley, with a h

ling, 'Abernethy, Applecombe, Ap. Davis, Apsley. Here we are,' he began to read the lett

day, May 17, I desire to express my wish to enter into communication with you on a matter

fully

Lloyd

said Mr. Apsley, 'a

id I say?'

eferences, which we

n. 'Mr. Apsley, may I ask whether

to come and see you, so we came. I called her None-so-pretty, out of a f

he did,' said Merton. 'B

She was staying at the Home Farm

your gran

eplied M

ked that she was

be brought at once.' He rang the bell, an

y friends came to luncheo

n I mean, said he came on business,' answ

g luncheon for-five, and see that there are chick

o Miss None-so-pretty is.' Then he returned, assured Batsy that luncheon was even at the doors, and leaving

eet on the frontier

is your

Apsley,

did you c

. I told the

d you g

there was a crowd, and Bats and I slipped out;

Miss L

gover

you a

ith tears, and his cheeks flush

her way,' which Merton did for some second

d to us. She loves us and we love her dearly. Ask Batsy,' he said in a monotonous voice, as if he

e loves us. She is very, very kind to us, like our dear mamma.' Her voice was monotonou

ton. 'Tommy, why d

did it after she saw that when we were bathing.' Tommy raise

look on: it was on the

et hurt there?

s were fixed and blank as before. 'I fell off a

id Merton; 'and None-s

es

you how y

lue marks on Batsy,

-so-pretty that yo

es

old you to

read your pr

Blossom from the inner chamber to share the meal. Batsy had as low a chai

red from within w

-so-p

face of blushes. Batsy descended from her chair, waddled up, climbed another chair, and attacked the girl from the rear. The office boy wa

r. He was entirely devoid of patients, and was living on t

the boy fled on his errand. 'I see that I need not introduce you to my young friends,

lpings of apricot tart. Tommy devoted himself to cutlets. A very mild shandygaff was compounded for him in an old Oriel pewter. Both children mad

my, 'I am glad you told us to c

iss Blossom knew that we were kindred souls, same k

hanging glances of surprise with Merton, over the children's heads, began to make himself agreeable. He had nearly as many tricks as M

urmured something vague about 'business,' and s

o time to waste. What do you know about t

ough now, said, 'I never

wever. What do you

ace. We became great friends. I found out that they were motherless

s Li

nothing against the governess. The old lady cried in a helpless way, and said he was capable of marrying the woman, out of obstinacy, if anybody interfered. I had your

You must see their father; you must wait till you see him. And how are

n taught that

hey are aware of

lossom

must find a way of keepi

age it,' said Miss

nd of person she is,' said Merton, with his hand on the door handle, adding, 'Plea

; there was laughter in the other cha

d deny it. Will you get into talk with the boy, and ask him if he is fond of his governess,

t,' said

room. Bats simplified matters by falling asleep in the client's cha

now. He had a g

ry school yet? A bi

like to go to school, but

y n

d by saying that they didn't think

'but it is not very safe at school. A boy I kne

e fallen off,

at home. But in a year or two you wi

Miss Limmer ta

nd she gre

e he mechanically repeated the tale of the mut

ery jolly,' s

Batsy, and Miss Blossom is going to take

in spite of Tommy's remonstrances, with the cabman, who made a good thing of it, and nodded when told to drive awa

think of it

suggestion by the gove

it really be worked like t

n in St. John's Wood, and "will" Tommy to come to her if he was in the next room. At least she might "will" till she was black in the face, and he would

e sure

nything in the world u

the boy did not say, more gu

bject often draws

st be a fiend

nd then,' said the autho

*

pale face under the tan, who was nervously gnawing his moustache. Miss Blossom saw him, Tommy saw him, and cried 'Father!' Half-hidden behind a blind of the house Miss Blossom beheld a woman's face, expectant. Clearly she was Miss Limmer. All the while that they were driving Miss Blossom's wits had been at work to construct a story to account f

eached the Zoological Gardens, and there its crew alighted, demurely waiting for the Major. He leaped from his hansom, and taking off his hat, strode up to Miss

ty,' said Tommy, by

accepted the message, like a receiver in wireless telegraphy. No man, let be a Major, could have resisted None-so-pretty at that moment. 'C

ren shout

she know them?' thought

n mounted t

id Miss Blossom, 'I hav

Madam; I have been

ng for me, a very little thing,' said Miss Blossom, with the

e delighted to do an

e thing indeed!' and her hands were c

I pro

my home this instant, let nobody speak to him or tou

e a

ion to his answers and his face, and the sound of his voice. If that is not enough do the same with

very strang

riving home to see if the lost children were found, and

id you find

; he can answer some questions you may want to ask. Later I will answer anything. And now in the nam

d, and the tender-hearted Batsy needed no more to make her descend from the great earth-shaking beast. The children attacked her with kisses,

d till she met an

th blazing eyes, and a pile of trunks gaping untid

y, having fulfilled Miss Blossom's commands, had seen what sh

all their new stepmo