is the living who are to be pitied here, and Nate most of all.
He did it for Lucy's sake, I know; it was to save her from her father's
fury. There can be no doubt of that. Did you say that he is already in
the lock-up? Where is that?"

He told her.

"I must go to Lucy first," she mused. "How does the poor child bear it?"

"Badly for a time, but she is more quiet now. The French sisters and
Rachel are with her, and a lot of other women, who might be spared."

"Miss Joyce, dinner is ready," called Ellen from the veranda with a sour
voice, for she resented being kept waiting.

"Come in and eat with us," said Joyce, laying a hand lightly on Dalton's
arm. "It will not take us long, and then I can go with you. Won't you,
please?"

He colored with pleasure, for her manner was most friendly. Just so
might she speak to Mr. Driscoll, he thought.

The little meal was something of a revelation to the man. Ellen carved,
and a neat maid handed the plates about on a silver salver. There were
flowers on the table, and little else, it seemed to him. Yet, as one
course followed another, he felt it to be a bountiful meal, even for the
healthy man's appetite that he possessed. It did not please his palate
any better than his aunt's excellent dinners, but he felt there were
intricacies and embellishments in some of these unknown dishes that her
best skill had never compassed. He began with some nervousness, but
Joyce's simple, homelike manner soon dispelled it, and they ended over
the fruit and coffee in most friendly converse, he telling, she hearing,
many particulars of the Hapgood family, that were new to her.

Long before he had concluded Joyce was smiling over a thought which had
been growing upon her for some time. George Dalton was not so
indifferent to these people of hers as he would often try to appear.
Evidently he watched them, understood them, even, possibly, sympathized
with them. They were not mere machines to him, as she had once felt they
were. He did have an interest that was close and personal, and not
wholly of a business character, however much he might try to conceal it
under his cool manner.

They soon reached the Hapgood door, around which still clustered a crowd
of the neighbors, the men stolidly smoking, the women whispering in
detached groups, all with that expectant air which attends upon a tragic
incident. They made way respectfully for the manager, but looked
somewhat wonderingly upon his companion, p