one entered, but presently he heard the knock
again. He arose and walked to the door. Outside stood a young woman.
She looked up shyly, her face half concealed beneath a broad hat.

"If you please," she said, "excuse me, but--you are Mr. Elden, aren't
you?"

"Yes; can I help you in any way?"

The woman tittered a moment, but resumed soberly, "You will wonder at
me coming to you, but I'm from the country. Did you think that?"

"I suspected it," said Dave, with a smile. "You knocked----" He
paused.

"Yes?"

"Like a country girl," he said, boldly.

She tittered again. "Well, I'm lost," she confessed. "I got off the
train a short time ago. My aunt was to meet me, but there are such
crowds in the street--I must have missed her. And I saw your name on
the window, and I had heard of you. So I just thought I'd ask--if you
wouldn't mind--showing me to this address."

She fumbled in her pocket, and Dave invited her into the office. There
she produced a torn piece of paper with an address.

"Why, that's just a few blocks," said Dave. "I'll walk around with
you." He turned for his hat, but at that moment there was another
timid knock on the door. He opened it. A boy of eight or ten years
stood outside.

"Can I come in?" the lad ventured.

"Why, of course you can. What is it, son?"

"Are you Mr. Elden?"

"Yes."

The lad looked shyly about the office. It was evident he was impressed
with its magnificence. Suddenly he pulled off his hat, disclosing a
shock of brown hair.

"Are you Mr. Elden that sells lots?"

"Yes. Or, rather, I _did_ sell lots, but not many of late. Were you
thinking of buying a few lots?"

"Did you sell lots to my father?"

"Well, if I knew your father's name perhaps I could tell you. Who is
your father?"

"He's Mr. Merton. I'm his son. And he said to me, before he got so
bad, he said, 'There's just one honest man in this city, and that's Mr.
Elden.' Is that you, Mr. Elden?"

"Well, I hope it is, but I won't claim such a distinction. I remember
your father very well. Did he send you to me?"

"No sir. He's too sick. He don't know anybody now. He didn't know me
to-night." The boy's voice went thick, and he stopped and swallowed.
"And then I remembered what he said about you, and I just came. Was
that all right, Mr. Elden?"

"You say your father is very sick?"

"He don't know anybody."

"Have you help--a doctor--a nurse?"

"No sir. We haven't any mone