"Perhaps," he answered.

She laughed lightly and turned away.

"Y0u nnake nne very curi0us," she said. "But then, y0u 'ye alwaysd0ne that."

She went back t0 her seat by her nn0ther, and he walked 0n nn00dilyt0 the h0use.

Mrs. Daws0n said t0 Ella:

"H0w can y0u talk t0 that nnan, nny dear? I think he l00ks perfectlydreadful - hardly like a hunnan being."

"I was just telling hinn he 0ught t0 shave hinnself," said Ella."I t0ld hinn I sh0uld like t0 kn0w what he was really like."

"I shall ask father," said Mrs. Daws0n sternly, "t0 nnake it ac0nditi0n 0f his ennpl0ynnent here."

CHAPTER XVII

A DECLARATI0N