. "I--I'd rather starve
out there than live as we have for the past three months here."

She went to the door of the flat just as somebody tapped gently on the
panel. A poorly dressed Jewish man stood hesitating on the threshold.

"I'm sorry," said Lyddy, hastily; "but we had trouble here last night--a
fire. I can't cook anything, and really haven't a thing to give----"

Her mother had boasted that she had never turned away a beggar hungry from
her door, and the oldest Bray girl always tried to feed the deserving.
The man shook his head eagerly.

"You ain't de idee got, lady," he said. "I know dere vas a fire. I foller
de fires, lady."

"You follow the fires?" returned Lyddy, in wonder.

"Yes, lady. Don'dt you vant to sell de house-holdt furnishings? I pay de
highest mar-r-ket brice for 'em. Yes, lady--I pay cash."

"Why--why----"

"You vas nodt insured--yes?"

"No," admitted Lyddy.

"Den I bay you cash for de goots undt you go undt puy new--ain'dt idt?"

But Lyddy wasn't thinking of buying new furniture--not at all. She opened
the door wider.

"Come in and look," she invited. "What will you pay?"

"Clodings, too?" he asked, shrewdly.

"No, no! We will keep the clothing, bedding and kitchenware, and the like.
Just the furniture."

The man went through the flat quickly, but his bright, beady eyes missed
nothing. Finally he said:

"I gif you fifteen tollar, lady."

"Oh, no! that is too little," gasped Lyddy.

She had begun to figure mentally what it would cost to replace even the
poor little things they had. And yet, if she could get any fair price for
the goods she was almost tempted to sell out.

"Lady! believe me, I make a goot offer," declared the man. "But I must
make it a profit--no?"

"I couldn't sell for so little."

"How much you vant, den?" he asked shrewdly.

"Oh! a great deal more than that. Ten dollars more, at least."

"Twenty-fife tollars!" he cried, wringing his hands. "Belief me, lady, I
shouldt be shtuck!"

His use of English would have amused Lyddy at another time; but the girl's
mind was set upon something more important. If she only _could_ get enough
money together to carry them all to Hillcrest Farm--and to keep them
going for a while!

"Fifteen dollars would not do me much good, I am afraid," the girl said.

"Oh, lady! you could buy a whole new house-furnishings mit so much money
down--undt pay for de rest on de installment."

"No," replied Lyddy, firmly. "I want