'Miss Hazeltine,' he continued, 'would you mind me asking a few questions ?' 'Certainly not,' replied Julia; 'and if you can make me understand why Morris has sent a statue of Hercules instead of a barrel containing specimens for a friend, I shall be grateful till my dying day.

And what are specimens for a friend ?' 'I haven't a guess,' said Gideon.

'Specimens are usually bits of stone, but rather smaller than our friend the monument.

Still, that is not the point.

Are you quite alone in this big house ?' 'Yes, I am at present,' returned Julia.