rd her sobs upon the
upper landing.

Sears Kendrick, feeling more like an interloper than ever, looked in
embarrassment at the flowered carpet. He did not dare look at the young
woman beside him. He had never in his life felt more sorry for any one.
Judge Knowles had said he hoped that he--Kendrick--might obtain a
general idea of the condition of affairs in the Fair Harbor. The scenes
he had just witnessed had given him a better idea of that condition than
anything else could have done. And, somehow or other, it was the last of
those scenes which had affected him most. Elizabeth Berry had faced the
sarcasms and sneers of the committee, had never lost her poise or her
temper, had never attempted to shift the responsibility, had never
reproached her mother for the hesitating weakness which was at the base
of all the trouble. And, in return, her mother had accused her of--all
sorts of things.

And yet when Elizabeth spoke it was in defence of that mother.

"I hope, Cap'n Kendrick," she said, "that you won't misunderstand my
mother or take what she just said too seriously. She is not very well,
and very nervous, and, as you see, her position here is a trying one
sometimes."

The captain could not keep back the speech which was at his tongue's
end.

"_Your_ position is rather tryin', too, isn't it?" he observed. "It sort
of would seem that way--to me."

She smiled sadly. "Why, yes--it is," she admitted. "But I am younger
and--and perhaps I can bear it better."

It occurred to him that the greatest pity of all was the fact that she
should be obliged to bear it. He did not say so, however, and she went
on, changing the subject and speaking very earnestly.

"Cap'n Kendrick," she said, "I am very glad you heard this--this
disagreement this morning. Judge Knowles told me you were going to call
at the Harbor here and when he said it he--well, I thought he looked
more than he said, if you know what I mean. I didn't ask any questions
and he said nothing more, but I guess perhaps he wanted you to--to
see--well, to see what he wasn't well enough to see--or something like
that."

She paused. The captain was embarrassed. He certainly felt guilty and he
also felt as if he looked so.

"Why--why, Miss Berry," he stammered, "I hope you--you mustn't
think----"

She waved his protestations aside.

"It doesn't make a bit of difference," she said. "No matter why you came
I am very glad you did. This ridiculous statuary business