48 THE T "DEATH.- WATCH."

was fixing the last strip of beadwork to a most

elaborate lamp-stand, intended for a charitable

bazaar next week. Fred, rejoicing in the age

of fourteen, had just triumphantly extracted

the value of x from a strangely confused mass

of letters and figures, to which he had reduced

what his tutor called a problem in simple

equations. All this, we say, was being done,

when the whole party were startled by a

scream from the landing-place near the chil-

dren's bed-room. This was followed by a

scream, number two, from a stronger voice.

Nor were words wanting to the concert:

(Papa !" and "Mamma !" were clearly heard

amidst the din, the whole being strangely

varied by a shrill and squealing outcry from

some enraged creature.

The mother had but just time to open the

door, when in dashed Cary, screaming out

a double mystery: "The watch! the watch

has come ! Oh, my foot! my foot !"

Lilly followed in full cry: "Oh, papa! it

won't go away; and Tibby's killed-oh,

papa!"Nurse, rushing in, added to the perplexity