that she
never wanted to go back to him, because he abused both her and her
brother."

"Yes, so you told me before, and I think I remember telling you that you
were making a mistake in trusting in her truthfulness. It seems her
brother told her that he did not wish to return with the squatter; so
she left him here with you. For my part," Everett pressed closer to her,
"I'm glad that she is gone. The coming of those children completely
changed both you and Horace. You'll get used to ingratitude before
you've done much charity work."

Ann's intuition increased her disbelief in the man opposite her.

"Everett, will you swear to me that you had nothing to do with her
going?"

Brimbecomb swore glibly enough, and supplemented his oath with:

"I've always felt, though, that you should not have them here; and I
can't say that I shouldn't have taken them away, if I could, Ann. Don't
you think we could overlook past unpleasantness, and let our
arrangements go on as we intended they should?"

Ann rose hastily to her feet. She was sorely tempted to fall into his
arms. How handsome he looked, how strongly his eyes pleaded with her!
But her vague fears and distrust held her back. She sank again to the
chair.

"No, no--not just yet, Everett," she said. "I've loved you dearly; but I
can't understand Fledra's disappearance. Oh, I--I don't know how to
meet Horace! He loved and trusted her so!" Again she looked at him with
indecision. "Come back to me, Dear," she whispered, "when it is all
over. I'm so unhappy today!"

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Floyd raised his head when Ann bent over him. Agitation and sorrow had
so altered her that the change brought him to a half-sitting position.

"Flea's sick, I bet!" he burst out, without waiting to be addressed.
"Don't try to fool me, Sister Ann."

As his suspicion grew within him, his eyes traveled over her face again
and again; then he put his feet on the floor and stood up.

"Ye didn't tell me the truth this morning, did ye?"

Miss Shellington forced him gently back on the divan, and sat down
beside him.

"I'd hoped, Floyd, dear," she said tremblingly, "that we were all going
to be happy. You must be brave and help me, won't you? If you should
become ill again, I think I should die."

"Then, tell me about Flea. Has Pappy Lon--"

"Fledra went back to him last night of her own free will."

With eyes growing wide from fear, Floyd stared at her.

"I don't know what you mea