r villain, here's to you! And before we're
through with each other some interesting things will occur, or I'll
miss my guess."

In much the same mood of excitement, Northrup had entered upon the
adventure of writing his former book, with this difference: He had
gone to the East Side of his home city with all his anchors cast in a
familiar harbour; he was on the open sea now. There had been his
mother and Kathryn before; the reliefs of home comforts, "fumigations"
Kathryn termed them; now he was part of his environment, determined to
cast no backward look until his appointed task was finished in failure
or--success.

The chapel and the day had soothed and comforted him: he was ready to
abandon the hold on every string. This space of time, of unfettered
thought and work, was like existence in a preparation camp. This
became a fixed idea presently--he was being prepared for service;
fitted for his place in a new Scheme. That was the only safe way to
regard life, at the best. Here, there, it mattered not, but the
preparation counted.

CHAPTER VI

When Mary-Clare awoke the next morning she heard Larry still moving
about overhead as if he had been doing it all night. He was opening
drawers; going to and fro between closet and bed; pausing, rustling
papers, and giving the impression, generally, that he was bent upon a
definite plan.

Noreen was sleeping deeply, one little arm stretched over her pillow
and toward her mother as if feeling for the dear presence. Somehow the
picture comforted Mary-Clare. She was strangely at peace. After her
bungling--and she knew she had bungled with Larry--she _had_ secured
safety for Noreen and herself. It was right: the other way would have
bent and cowed her and ended as so many women's lives ended. Larry
never could understand, but God could! Mary-Clare had a simple faith
and it helped her now.

While she lay thinking and looking at Noreen she became conscious of
Larry tiptoeing downstairs. She started up hoping to begin the new era
as right as might be. She wanted to get breakfast and start whatever
might follow as sanely as possible.

But Larry had gone so swiftly, once he reached the lower floor, that
only by running after him in her light apparel could she attract his
attention. He was out of the house and on the road toward the mines!

Then Mary-Clare, seized by one of those presentiments that often light
a dark moment, closed the door, shivering slightly, and went
u