.

"I've got to go away on the early train," he said, in a dull, husky
voice; "she's going with me. I don't know how long I'll be gone, and I
thought I'd like to leave the key of the house with you, if it won't be
too much trouble."

"It won't be any trouble, Jerry. I'll take care of it for thee," said
Enoch.

The hand that held out the key seemed to Enoch to be stretched toward
him across a chasm. He felt a yearning disgust for the man on the other
side.

Jerry walked across the platform hesitatingly, and then came back.

"Would you mind locking up and coming outside, Mr. Embody?" he asked
humbly; "I'd like to have a little talk with you."

Enoch blew out the lamp and closed the door and locked it. He felt a
physical shrinking from the moral squalor into which he was being
dragged.

"What is it, Jerry?" he asked kindly.

"I've been thinking," said the young man hurriedly, and in the same
level, monotonous voice, "that families sometimes come to these new
places without having any house ready, and of course it's a good deal of
expense for them to board, and I just wanted to say to you that if any
person--well, say a widow with a b--family--I wouldn't care to help a
man that could rustle for himself--but a woman, you know, if she's not
very strong, and has a--a--family--why, I'd just as soon you'd let her
have the house, and you needn't say anything about the rent: I'll fix
that when I come back. I haven't been to church and put anything in the
collection since I've been here,"--his voice gave a suggestion of the
old ring, and then fell back drearily,--"so I thought I'd hand you what
I'd saved up, and you can use it for charitable purposes--groceries and
little things that people might need, coming in without anything to
start."

He handed Enoch a roll of money, and the old man put it into his pocket.

"I'll remember what thee says, Jerry. If any worthy family comes along,
I'll see that they do not want."

"If I can, I'll send you a little now and then," the young fellow went
on more cheerfully, "but I'd just as soon you wouldn't mention it. I'll
be back sometime, there's no doubt about that, but I can't say just
when. You can tell the folks that my--my wife," he choked on the word,
"didn't feel satisfied here. She thinks it won't agree with her. And I
guess it won't, she's very bad off"--he turned away lingeringly, and
then came back. "About the--the--crib," he faltered, "if they happen to
have a baby, I