rical and crazy--that if there was ever anything under
heaven that I could do for him, I would do it--no matter what it was.
And the boy told his parents that I had said that, but it was only taken
by them as evidence that I felt terribly sorry for what I had had to do,
and that I had a tender heart."

"Poor old dad!" said Barbara. "And what became of the little boy?"

"He grew vicious," said Dr. Ferris. "I don't blame him. Quarrelled
fearfully with his father, dropped into all sorts of evil ways and
companionship--all my fault, every bit of it--and finally disappeared
completely out of the station to which he had been born. I had reason
until the other day to believe that he was dead. Then I saw him."

There was quite a long silence. The fire burned brightly. Dr. Ferris,
greatly agitated by tragic memories, closed his eyes very tightly, as if
to shut them out.

"And of course," said Barbara at last, "the small boy is my Mr.
Blizzard. Well, what can we do for him?"

"_You_ owe him nothing," said her father sharply.

"Oh, yes," said Barbara gently, "oh, yes. Your obligations are mine. I
shall tell him. It's like owing a frightful sum of money. We can't be
happy till we've paid up, can we? You and I?"

"It seems," said Dr. Ferris, "that I have made two terrible mistakes.
And the second is having told you about the first. My God, but this life
is hard to bear!"

"But--why--what have I said? If there is _anything_ we can do for him,
we ought to do it."

"Are you going to say that to him?"

"Of course," she said.

"Suppose," said her father, "that in all this world he wanted only one
thing--you?"

This suggestion was most unexpected to Barbara and odious. And she said
coldly: "I hope he is not quite such a fool."

"But if he is?"

"My dear father," said Barbara, "I have been told that somewhere along
the Milky Way there is a bridge between stars. Let's cross that when we
come to it."

A footman entered carrying a large pasteboard box on which, in gilt
letters, was the name of a Third Avenue florist. But the jonquils in the
box were very fresh and lovely. They were, however, unaccompanied by
a card.

[Illustration: "Some unknown person," said Barbara, "has formed the
habit of sending me flowers"]

"Some unknown person," said Barbara, "has formed the habit of sending
me flowers." She smiled. "I shall ask my friend, Mr. Harry West," she
said, "to find out who it is."

And then, suddenly, she turned away