; and, in listening to her
suggestions and promises of assistance, Rufie and Tilly ceased sobbing
and drew closer, while even Lucy soon leaned forward, talking
unreservedly. The baby, seeing that normal conditions were apparently
restored, at last began to blink, and finally fell away into happy
dreamland. When Joyce rose to go a sense of comfort pervaded the group.
Lucy, fully assured that her father would be laid away with fitting
ceremony and that she and the children--though what was she but a child
herself, poor thing!--should be decently arrayed in mourning apparel,
began to take on a less worried expression. As she also rose, to lay the
baby aside on an old lounge in the corner, where the older baby was
already asleep, Joyce beckoned to Dalton and conferred with him a
minute, then drew on her wrap, to leave.

As Lucy turned, the manager spoke a few words to her.

"Oh, will you, sir?" cried the girl as he finished. "My! but that takes
a load offen me. And I can stay in the dear little house, and keep the
children, just like I allays did!"

He nodded, and Lucy glanced with a perplexed look from him to Joyce.

"Seems like you're both doing this, and I ought to thank you both," she
said. "I was feeling pretty bad before you come in. I couldn't see
nothing ahead but to put the children in a Home and go out to service,
and--and it 'most killed me!" her lips quivering anew.

Joyce smiled and took her hand.

"Thank him," she said, with a glance up into his eyes. "But you can keep
a few kind thoughts for me too, Lucy. I will take it upon myself to
attend to your mourning, as I said."

"And you won't forget the veil, Miss Lavillotte?"

"No indeed!" smiling down into the eager young face. "But Lucy"--she
bent closer, to speak just above a whisper--"I'm going to poor Nate,
now. Have you no kind message to send to him?"

"No, _no_!" came out sharply, like a suppressed shriek. "He did it! How
could I?"

"But to help you, child. It is terrible, I know, and I will not press
the matter if it is more than you can bear to speak of it. But, surely,
you feel that what Nate did was not intentional? He was shielding you,
defending you. Oh, Lucy I would not arraign your father, but I can't
help pitying poor Nate, who has been such a friend to you!"

Lucy turned abruptly and went towards the fire, where she stood a
moment, shivering perceptibly, a desolate little figure. Soon she raised
her head, flung a glance towards Mrs.