ts enough in
this house to hide a whole gang of cutthroats in--and when you're abed
and asleep they'll have your life, them two, and run off with your
worldly goods that you've thought so much of. Would have, that is, if I
hadn't have had a Special Ordering to look out of winder. Oh, how
thankful should I be that I kep' the use of my limbs, though I was
scairt 'most to death, and am now."

"Yes, they might be useful to you," said Mrs. Tree, "to get home with,
for instance. There, that will do, Malvina Weight. There is no tramp
here. Your eyesight is failing; there were always weak eyes in your
family. There's no tramp here, and there has been none."

"Mis' Tree! I tell you I see him with these--"

"Bah! don't talk to me!" Mrs. Tree blazed into sudden wrath. But next
instant she straightened herself over her cane, and spoke quietly.

"Good night, Malvina. You mean well, and I bear no malice. I'm obliged
to you for your good intentions. What you took for a tramp was a
gentleman who has come to stay overnight with me. He's up-stairs now.
Did you lock your door when you came out? There _are_ tramps about, so
I've heard, and if Ephraim is away--well, good night, if you must hurry.
Direxia, lock the door and put the chain up; and if anybody else calls
to-night, set the bird on 'em."

CHAPTER V.

"BUT WHEN HE WAS YET A GREAT WAY OFF"

"And so when she ran away and left you, you took to drink, Willy. That
wasn't very sensible, was it?"

"I didn't care," said William Jaquith. "It helped me to forget for a bit
at a time. I thought I could give it up any day, but I didn't. Then--I
lost my place, of course, and started to come East, and had my pocket
picked in Denver, every cent I had. I tried for work there, but between
sickness and drink I wasn't good for much. I started tramping. I thought
I would tramp--it was last spring, and warm weather coming on--till I'd
got my health back, and then I'd steady down and get some work, and
come back to Mother when I was fit to look her in the face. Then--in
some place, I forget what, though I know the pattern of the wall-paper
by the table where I was sitting--I came upon a King's County paper with
Mother's death in it."

"What!" said Mrs. Tree, straightening herself over her stick.

"Oh, it didn't make so much difference," Jaquith went on, dreamily. "I
wasn't fit to see her, I knew that well enough; only--it was a green
paper, with splotchy yellow flowers on it. Fifteen