She knelt, her arms about the
elder woman.

"Of _course_ I'm crying," answered Sue. "That's what I always do when
I--I see that someone is happy."

"Oh, Sue! Sue!" The girl clung to her. "Don't think too badly of me.
It came out last night--when Alan and I were talking. I told him I
didn't love Wallace the way I should--oh, Sue, _you_ know I never
have--and that it was because I loved someone else. And, oh, he grew
so--so white--he was so hurt--and I told him--I had to. It just poured
out of my soul, Sue. It had been kept in so long."

"You darling girl!" They clung to each other, murmuring.

"Now you know why I was so--so broken up yesterday," explained Farvel.
"It wasn't--Laura. It was Hattie."

"Oh, we've cared for each other from the first!" confessed Hattie.
"And we've settled how it is all going to be. I'll stay in New York,
where we can be near each other, and see each other now and then--oh,
we shall be only friends, Sue. But I'd rather have his friendship than
the love of any other man I've ever known. And we'll be patient. And
if we can't ever be more than friends, we'll be glad just for that.
See how happy you've been, Sue, with no one--all these years. And here
I shall have Alan."

"Ah, my dear girl!" exclaimed Sue. She stroked the bright hair. "Ah,
my dear girl!"

"Oh, Sue, you mean you haven't been happy? Why don't you marry?"

Sue laughed. "_I_? What an idea! Why, I don't think I've ever even
had the thought. Anyhow, the years have gone--the inclination is gone,
if it ever was there. I'm too old." Then with sudden and passionate
earnestness, "But you two." She rose and took each by a hand, and led
them to the dial. "Read! Read what is written in the stone!--_Tempus
Fugit_--time flies! Oh, take your happiness while you can! Don't
wait. Oh, don't!--We must find a way somehow. The Church--we must see
the proper authorities--oh, it isn't right that you two should be
punished----"

"Momsey!" Peter, the pale, was calling from the drawing-room door.
"There's a gentleman----"

A man appeared behind the boy, and pushed past into the Close--a young
man, unshaven and haggard, with bloodshot eyes.

"Is there something I can do for you?" asked Farvel, quickly. He
hastened toward the visitor, who looked as if he had suddenly gone mad.

"Hull is my name," announced the man; "--Felix Hull."

"Oh, yes," said Sue, eagerly. She signed to Hattie to go, and the girl
hastene