face. "In the beginning, I
made you suffer, and it might have been better if I had openly paid for
my fault. We'll let that go; but there's something yet to be said."
He stopped and looked at the others with badly suppressed emotion.
"That I have escaped a fate like Daly's is due to the love and trust
that was given me in spite of my offense, and my partner's unselfish
loyalty."

Mrs. Featherstone looked at him with gentle approval and her husband
said, "Lawrence has taken a very proper line; but I think this matter
need not be spoken of again."

It was a relief to talk about something else, and by and by the party
broke up. An hour or two later, Foster, who wanted to send his foreman
some instructions, met Lucy in a passage as he was going to the
writing-room. She stopped him and said, "I haven't thanked you, Jake;
you were careful not to give me an opportunity, but you have banished a
haunting fear I couldn't get rid of. You know what I mean--Lawrence
told me his story. Now he is safe."

She stopped Foster, who began to murmur something. "This is not all I
want to say. I am not the only person who loves Lawrence and owes you
much. Don't be too modest; urge your claim."

Foster would not pretend he did not understand and looked at her
steadily. "If I made a claim on such grounds, I should deserve to have
it refused."

"Then choose better grounds, Jake; I think they can be found," Lucy
answered with a smile. "But show what you want. You can't expect to
have it offered, for you to pick up."

She went away, leaving him in a thoughtful mood, though his heart beat.
Lucy was clever and would not have given him such a hint unless she
thought it was justified. Still, she might be mistaken and he feared
to risk too much; then there were other difficulties--he was not rich.
He went to the writing-room, knitting his brows, and stopped abruptly
when he found Alice there alone. She put aside a half-finished letter,
as if she did not want him to go away, and he advanced to the table and
stood looking down at her.

"I did not send the telegram stating that I had found Lawrence."

"No," she said, smiling, "I know you didn't. But why do you wish to
explain this?"

Foster hesitated. "To begin with, it must have looked as if I wanted
to boast about keeping my promise and hint that you owed me something."

"But you were glad you were able to keep your promise?"

"I was," said Foster; "very glad, indeed."