the block, for of the whole
neighbourhood, it appeared to the girl, they had chosen the most
dilapidated dwelling and the one which was most crowded with children.

"We're here all right. Don't go so fast," remarked Gershom, as they
ascended the steps. "It ain't going to run away from you." Bending down
he picked up a crying urchin from the steps. "Lost your ball, have you?
Well, I expect if you dig deep enough in my pocket, you can find it
again. Hello! You've got a punch, ain't you, sonny? A regular John L., I
reckon." Putting the child down, he continued sheepishly to Patty: "I
always had a soft spot for the kids. Never could pass one in the street
without stopping."

On the porch, beside a broken perambulator, which contained a black-eyed
baby with a bottle of milk, a stout man sat reading the afternoon paper,
while with one hand he patiently pushed the rickety carriage back and
forth. As they reached the porch, he laid aside his paper, and rose with
his hand still on the perambulator.

"Oh, it's you," he said, "Mr. Gershom."

"I've brought this lady to see Mrs. Green," returned Gershom. "How is
she?"

The stout man shook his head and surveyed Patty curiously but not
discourteously. He had a kindly, humorous look, and she felt at once
that she preferred his blunt frankness to Gershom's facetious
insincerity. There was something in his face that suggested the
black-eyed baby sucking placidly at the rubber nipple on the bottle of
milk.

"She's worse if anything. The doctor came this morning." The baby,
having dropped the bottle, lifted a despairing wail, and the father bent
over and replaced the nipple gently between the quivering lips. "The
rent was due yesterday," he added, "I understood that there was to be no
trouble about it."

"Oh, there's no trouble about that. I'm responsible," replied Gershom
quickly. He was about to pass on; but changing his mind, he stopped and
drew out his pocket book. "I'll settle it now. Are there any extras?"

"Yes, she's had to have eggs and milk, and there have been medicines. It
comes to twelve dollars in all. I'll show you the account."

"Very well. Get anything that she needs." Then, as Gershom followed
Patty into the hall, he pointed to the fine old staircase. "It's the
back room. Go straight up. You ain't timid, are you?"

"Timid? Oh, no." Running lightly up the stairs, the girl hesitated a
moment before the half-open door of the room at the back of the house.
Then,