?" he inquired.

Mrs. Welcome nodded assent, "Yes," she said, "Mr. Boland has been very
kind. He has waited two weeks and--and--we can't pay him."

"Why not let me--" suggested Harvey, putting his hand into his pocket.
Mrs. Welcome checked him with a quick movement. "No, Harvey, please. I
don't want you to do that," she said. "I wouldn't feel right about it
somehow."

"Just as you say, Mrs. Welcome." Harvey was rather diffident and
hesitated to press a loan on her. To change the subject he said: "Young
Mr. Boland seems taken up with Patience."

"I hadn't noticed it," said Mrs. Welcome, drying her eyes.

"O, we detectives have to keep our eyes open," acclaimed Harvey with
another burst of pride.

But here Michael Grogan interrupted. "Young man," he called out from the
roadway, "are you really taking orders or is this one of your visiting
days?" He tied the colt and came into the yard.

"Hello," said Harvey, "getting tired of waiting?"

"Well, I felt myself growing to that hitching post," said Grogan, "so I
tied that bunch of nerves you have out there and moved before I took
root."

Harvey laughed and turned to Mrs. Welcome. "This is Mr. Michael Grogan,
Mrs. Welcome," he said.

Mrs. Welcome backed away toward the porch, removing her apron. "Good
afternoon, sir," she greeted him. "I hope you are well?"

"Well," said Grogan, "I was before this young marauder cajoled me into
leaving me arm chair on the hotel veranda to go bumping over these
roads."

Mrs. Welcome smiled and extended her hand. "I'm very glad to know you,
Mr. Grogan. You mustn't mind Harvey's impetuous ways. He's all right
here." She placed her hand on her heart.

"I'll go bail he is that if you say so, Mrs. Welcome," replied Grogan
gallantly, "anyhow I'll take him on your word."

"Just ready to go, Mr. Grogan, when you called," put in Harvey. Then he
caught Mrs. Welcome by the arm and bustled her into the house, saying:
"And I'll see that you get all of those things, Mrs. Welcome, flour, corn
meal, tomatoes, beans, lard--" and in spite of her protestations he
closed the door on her with a parting: "Everything on the first delivery
tomorrow morning sure." Then he added to Grogan, who stood smiling with a
look of comprehension on his face, "All right. Ready to go."

"It's about time," commented Grogan as they went toward the wagon. "Don't
think I'm too inquisitive if I ask who are these Welcomes anyhow?"

"People who are having a tough time,"