“A much younger and more attractive companion, of whom the young lady is excessively fond,” Mrs. Brown replied, smiling mischievously.
“Who was he?” demanded Hanson, rising from his chair in excitement.
“Who said ‘he’? I didn’t. There was no ‘he’ in the case. What are you thinking of, sir?”
“Who went with Miss Fronde to Goblin Hall?”
“A little girl; her adopted child.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Hanson, dropping back on his seat in a state of collapse.
“Who did you think had gone with her, sir?” merrily inquired the janitress.
“I did not know what to think. So she has adopted a child, has she?”
“Oh, yes, sir; a bright, quaint, interesting little girl of about five years of age.”
“Whose child was it? How came Miss Fronde to adopt it?”