Knapp to Mrs.
Bowser.
"Laws, no! I never thought but what he knew."
"Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Knapp. "What a gift as a mind-reader Mr. Wilton
ought to have! Well, I suppose I'd better not trust to that, Henry.
There's to be Mrs. Bowser, of course, and Mr. and Mrs. Carter, and Mr.
Horton, and--oh, yes--Luella."
My heart gave a jump, and the trip to Chinatown suddenly became an
object of interest.
"I, mama?" said an inquiring voice, and Luella herself stood by her
mother.
"Yes," said Mrs. Knapp. "It's the Chinatown expedition for Monday
night."
Luella looked annoyed, and tapped her foot to the floor impatiently.
"With Mr. Wilton," there was the slightest emphasis on the words, "to
accompany the party, I shouldn't think it would be necessary for me to
go."
"It is either you or I," said Mrs. Knapp.
"You will be needed to protect Mr. Horton," said I sarcastically.
"Oh, what a task!" she said gaily. "I shall be ready." And she turned
away before I could put in another word, and I walked down the room
with Mrs. Knapp.
"And so Mr. Knapp is coming home to-morrow?" I said.
Mrs. Knapp gave me a quick look.
"Yes," she said. There was something in her tone that set me to
thinking that there was more than I knew behind Mr. Knapp's sudden
return.
"I hope he is not ill," I said politely.
Mrs. Knapp appeared to be considering some point deeply, and did not
answer for a little. Then she shook her head as though the idea was not
to her liking.
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