der Dick showed alarm.

"I've been intending to go down and see Daly," said Frank, "but it has
been one thing after another these past two days. Besides, I left him
all right. Yes, I hope he comes out of it."

When the two friends entered the Club they found the crowd pretty
serious. The exploit which had landed Daly in the hospital had endeared
him to the fellows, and they now felt genuinely sorry for him. They
began to recall their mean treatment of him on the very night of the
fire. They asked one another what it was he had wanted to say, when they
gave him no chance to open his mouth. Everything occurred to them except
the one thing, the damage at the Club. Somehow that never seemed to
connect itself with Daly.

As they sat around more or less in silence, Frank said, "Tomorrow is the
First Friday; what do you say, fellows, if we go to Communion for Bill?"
Every boy assented.

When, about an hour later, Father Boone returned, he was very serious.

"Boys," he said, "Daly is in a critical condition. The doctors hold out
little hope. Tomorrow I shall say Mass for him. I hope you boys will
also remember him in your prayers."

"We are all going to Communion for him tomorrow, Father," said Ned.

"O, that's good," answered the priest. "That's very good of you. God
knows what is best. His holy Will be done, but we shall pray that if it
is God's Will, he may be spared."

"Was he conscious?" anxiously asked Frank.

"No," answered the priest, "I have been watching him carefully the past
two days, but so far he has not got out of his delirium." Frank had a
return, suddenly, of that faint feeling. True, the Club damage was in
the background now, in the presence of death, but it was only deferred,
not settled. And what would happen if the secret died with Daly?

Frank was extremely conscientious. He was not counting on what he could
lawfully do in case Daly should die. He was determined that if worse
came to worst he would bear the brunt of the disgrace himself rather
than say a word that would blacken the name of one who had passed away.
He must not flinch. He must be a real Knight of the Cross.

Frank left the Club much earlier than usual and alone. Something seemed
to draw him to the hospital. At any rate, after five minutes, he found
himself on the avenue going down to where Bill Daly lay in delirium. He
got permission at the office to visit him. When he reached the patient,
he found Mr. and Mrs. Daly there. Mrs. D