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"I shall write to her and say we can't either of us accept," she said decisively. "Because you are both engaged for that afternoon," added Mrs. Pearson. "Well, the Holdens haven't invited Patty," said Muriel, "but of course it doesn't matter." "If I ask Mrs. Holden to include her in the invitation, I am sure she will do so," said Mrs. Pearson.

Then the parting song was sung, and the students retired to their rooms in one of the college dormitories. Doctor Mack went thoughtfully to bed. "It is well I came," he reflected. "Walter has done nothing decidedly wrong as yet, but it is evident he is not improving." "Well," said James Holdens as he met Doctor Mack the next morning, "did you hear the boys last night?"

And with a mind and ingenuity far beyond his years, Jimmy Holden knew that he alone was the most active operator in this vicious drama. It was not without shock that he realized that he himself could still be killed to gain possession of his fabulous machine. For only with all three Holdens dead could Paul Brennan take full and unquestioned possession.

"And you've testified that when you moved into the Holden home, you found things as the Holdens had provided them for their child?" "Yes." "In your opinion, were these surroundings suitable for James Holden?" "They were far too advanced for a child of five." "I asked specifically about James Holden." "James Holden was five years old."

Be sure I would not imitate the trim moustaches and peaked chins of those old dandies, Winthrop and Endicott. I prefer the full flowing style of Wykliffe and Cranmer." "We should then have two Holdens," exclaimed Mrs. Bernard, "and that would be more than our little village could live through." "Fancy papa running an opposition beard against Mr. Holden!" said Anne.

Margaret began to cry. Archibald, dear, whooped and kicked the furniture. And just then the front-door bell rang. "For a minute I thought 'twas Cousin Harriet and the Holdens come back, but then I knew it was hours too early for that. Margaret was too much upset to be fit for company, so I answered the bell myself.

Yes, you will, or we clear out this minute. "They didn't want to, but we was sot, and so they give in finally. It seemed that this Cousin Harriet was a widow relation of the Holdens, who lived in a swell country house over in Connecticut somewhere, and was rich as the rest of the tribe. Archie was her son. 'Hers and the Evil One's, Sam said.

"We must give some," persisted Muriel, "because the Holdens said they were going to ask me for Thursday, and I particularly want to go there. I expect I shall hear from Trissie this evening. Can't we wait till to-morrow to answer Jean's letter?" Muriel's expected invitation arrived the following morning, and furnished her with the excuse she needed for refusing the one from Jean.

Then as the days wore into weeks with no sign, the files were placed in the inactive drawer. Paul Brennan made contact with a few private agencies. He was stopped here, again, by another angle. The Holdens were by no means wealthy. Brennan could not justify the offer of some reward so large that people simply could not turn down the slim chance of collecting.

With success under way, the Holdens needed an intellectual guinea pig, a virgin mind, an empty store-house to fill with knowledge. They planned a twenty-year program of research, to end by handing their machine to the world complete with its product and instructions for its use and a list of pitfalls to avoid. The conception of James Quincy Holden was a most carefully-planned parenthood.