“Really, I don’t see how they can do it,” said Mrs. Belden, solemnly; at which both the others laughed, and Miss Alice said, “Why, mamma, you have just called them adorable yourself.”

They went about the room, admiring, and touching, and wondering, with the dainty grace of ladies accustomed to rare and beautiful things, until the novelties were exhausted and they turned to go.  But Budsey at that moment announced luncheon, and they yielded to Farnham’s eager importunity, and remained to share his repast.

They went to the dining-room, leaving Sleeny more than content.  He still heard their voices, too distant to distinguish words; but he pleased himself by believing that there was a tender understanding in the tones of Farnham and Miss Belding when they addressed each other, and that it was altogether a family party.  He had no longer any feeling of slight or neglect because none of them seemed aware of his presence while they were in the room with him.  There was, on the contrary, a sort of comfort in the thought that he belonged to a different world from them; that he and Maud were shut out—­shut out together—­from the society and the interests which claimed the Beldings and the Farnhams.  “You was a dunderheaded fool,” he said, cheerfully apostrophizing himself again, “to think everybody was crazy after your girl.”

He was brought down to a lower level by hearing the door open, and the voice of Offitt asking if Mr. Sleeny was in.

“No one of that name here,” said Budsey.

“I was told at Matchin’s he was here.”

“Oh! the yonng man from Matchin’s.  He is in the library,” and Offitt came in, looking more disreputable than usual, as he had greased his hair inordinately for the occasion.  Budsey evidently regarded him with no favorable eye; he said to Sleeny, “This person says he comes from Matchin’s; do you know him?”

“Yes, it’s all right,” said Sam, who could say nothing less; but when Budsey had left them, he turned to Offitt with anything but welcome in his eye.

“Well, you’ve come, after all.”

“Yes,” Offitt answered, with an uneasy laugh.  “Curiosity gets us all, from Eve down.  What a lay-out this is, anyhow,” and his small eyes darted rapidly around the room.  “Say, Sam, you know Christy Fore, that hauls for the Safe Company?  He was telling me about the safe he put into this room—­said nobody’d ever guess it was a safe.  Where the devil is it?”

“I don’t know.  It’s none of my business, nor yours either.”

“I guess you got up wrong foot foremost, Sam, you’re so cranky.  Where can the ——­ thing be?  Three doors and two winders and a fire-place, and all the rest book-cases.  By Jinx! there it is, I’ll swear.”  He stepped over to one of the cases where a pair of oaken doors, rich with arabesque carving, veiled a sort of cabinet.  He was fingering at them when Sam seized him by the shoulder, and said: 

“Look here, Andy, what is your game, anyhow?  I’m here on business, and I ain’t no fence, and I’ll just trouble you to leave.”