fog. Soot lay on the window-sills, and mingled with street
dust to form little black whirlpools in the wind. Even the white river
steamers, guiding their heavy laden coal barges with the current, were
gray with soft coal smoke. The foam of the river falling in broken
cataracts from their stern wheels was oddly white in contrast.

Everywhere she began to see her own name. "Cardew" was on the ore hopper
cars that were moving slowly along a railroad spur. One of the steamers
bore "Anthony Cardew" in tall black letters on its side. There was a
narrow street called "Cardew Way."

Aunt Elinor lived on Cardew Way. She wondered if Aunt Elinor found that
curious, as she did. Did she resent these ever-present reminders of her
lost family? Did she have any bitterness because the very grayness of
her skies was making her hard old father richer and more powerful?

Yet there was comfort, stability and a certain dignity about Aunt
Elinor's house when she reached it. It stood in the district, but not
of it, withdrawn from the street in a small open space which gave
indication of being a flower garden in summer. There were two large
gaunt trees on either side of a brick walk, and that walk had been swept
to the last degree of neatness. The steps were freshly scoured, and a
small brass door-plate, like a doctor's sign, was as bright as rubbing
could make it. "James Doyle," she read.

Suddenly she was glad she had come. The little brick house looked
anything but tragic, with its shining windows, its white curtains
and its evenly drawn shades. Through the windows on the right came a
flickering light, warm and rosy. There must be a coal fire there. She
loved a coal fire.

She had braced herself to meet Aunt Elinor at the door, but an elderly
woman opened it.

"Mrs. Doyle is in," she said; "just step inside."

She did not ask Lily's name, but left her in the dark little hall and
creaked up the stairs. Lily hesitated. Then, feeling that Aunt Elinor
might not like to find her so unceremoniously received, she pushed open
a door which was only partly closed, and made a step into the room. Only
then did she see that it was occupied. A man sat by the fire, reading.
He was holding his book low, to get the light from the fire, and he
turned slowly to glance at Lily. He had clearly expected some one else.
Elinor, probably.

"I beg your pardon," Lily said. "I am calling on Mrs. Doyle, and when I
saw the firelight--"

He stood up then, a ta