you can and tell them not to go," said
Mrs. Hargrave. "Mrs. Horton wants to see both Mr. and Mrs. Culver."

The house boy bolted.

The Culvers came gravely in. Both looked pale and distressed. Mrs.
Horton studied Mrs. Culver with surprise. Well dressed, beautiful and
refined, she was not the woman Mrs. Horton had expected to see.

Mrs. Hargrave took charge.

"Good-morning, my dears," she said. "There is just one thing for us all
to do now, and that is to put aside all personal feelings, just as you
would want your friends to do if something dreadful had happened to our
dear Helen, and all work together to see if we cannot save our little
Rosanna from whatever fate has overtaken her. I wondered if you have
ever heard her say anything that would lead you to think that if she did
leave this house of her own accord, she would go to any one person?"

"Only Minnie," said Mrs. Culver in a voice as cultivated and low as Mrs.
Hargrave's own.

"I have sent for Minnie," said Mrs. Hargrave. "I talked to her over the
telephone and she knows nothing at all about Rosanna, but she is coming
over at once. I want you to tell us, Mrs. Culver, if you ever heard
Rosanna say anything that would lead you to think that she would run
away."

Mrs. Culver hesitated, then with a flush said:

"I think it is only my duty to say that Rosanna was the loneliest child
I have ever seen. If she is found, I hope that something can be done to
place her among people who will give her not only care, but love."

"How dare you say that I did not love her?" cried Mrs. Horton.

"I say it because I love Rosanna," said Mrs. Culver, "and I cannot help
thinking that if my child should be left motherless, I would rather wish
her dead than brought up as you are trying to bring her up, Mrs. Horton.

"Oh, why, _why_ did you not let her have her friends? If you object to
us because we are simple people and poor, why did you not see to it that
she had friends in her 'own set' as you call it? And as for the
friendship between my child and Rosanna, we had your own letter for our
permission."

"We certainly did," said Mrs. Hargrave.

"I cannot talk about this now," said Mrs. Horton. "Please leave me."

"Don't you go a step farther than your own house, John," said Mrs.
Hargrave briskly. "I am going to give orders for awhile. Mrs. Horton, as
you see, is overcome. We need you. Take one of the cars and ride about
and see what you can see, John, and you, my dear,