“‘Let me see,’ said he, trying to pretend to be racking his memory; ’the grape-vine pattern?  It seems to me that I do recall something about a design with that name.  Did you say we refused it?’

“’Yes, you refused it, but you did not return the drawing.  You said it had been lost,’ I replied.

“‘Ah, yes, yes—­now I recollect,’ he said, recovering himself somewhat; ‘we made great search for the drawing; I remember all about it now;’ and he paused as if waiting civilly to know what more there could possibly be to be said on that point.  But I watched him closely and saw that he was agitated.  I looked him steadily in the eye and did not speak, while I slowly opened my little bundle and unrolled the piece of chintz.

“’Can you possibly explain this mystery, then, sir, that here is my brother’s design printed on this chintz?’ said I, in a clear, distinct tone, holding out the yard of chintz at its full length.  As I said the words ‘my brother’s design,’ the gentleman who had been talking with the overseer turned quickly round, and I saw that it was Mr. Maynard’s youngest son Robert, who a year before had come home from Germany, and had recently been taken into the firm as partner.  He stepped a little nearer me, and was evidently listening to my words.

“’Come into this room, Mr. Maynard, if you please, and we will finish discussing the matter we were speaking of,’ said Overseer Wilkins, turning pale, and speaking very hurriedly, and trying to draw Mr. Maynard into the inner office-room.

“‘And—­if you will call some other time, Miss Kent,’ said Agent Wilkins, turning away from me and walking toward Mr. Maynard, in his anxiety to prevent my being seen or heard, ’I will try to attend to this matter; but just now I have not another moment to spare,’ and he began at once to talk in a loud and voluble manner.

“I do not know how I had strength and courage to do what I did then; I do not know where the voice came from with which I spoke then; Robert has always said that I looked like a young lioness, and that my voice sounded like the voice of one crying ‘fire.’  I stepped swiftly up to him, and before the astounded Wilkins could speak a word, I had held up the chintz and exclaimed, ’But Mr. Maynard will have time to spare, and I thank God he is here.  Mr. Maynard, this design is one of my brother’s drawing; he has made most of the calico designs printed in your father’s mills for a year and a half:  I brought this one to the agent; he said it was not good for anything, but he stole the paper and sold it, and here it is!’ and then suddenly my strength all disappeared, great terror seized me, and I burst into tears.  Both the agent and the overseer began to speak at once.

“‘Be silent,’ thundered Robert, in the most commanding tone I ever heard out of human lips.  ‘Be silent, both of you!’ Then he took the chintz away from me, and taking both my hands in his, led me to a chair, saying, in a voice as sweet and gentle as the other was terrible, ’Pray be calm, my dear young lady—­this matter shall be looked into.  Sit down and do not try to speak for a few minutes.’