e other's lip twitched. "Take
it, Tony."

"You mustn't ask me to, Peter."

"I made a turnover last week in N. Y. U. I can afford it. I ask you for
the sake of old times."

Fairfax covered the slender hand with his. He shook it warmly.

"I'm sorry, old man. I can't do it."

The near-sighted eyes of the paymaster met those of Fairfax with a
melancholy appeal, and the other responded to his unspoken words--

"No, Rainsford, not for anything in the world."

"It's your _Pride_," Rainsford murmured, and he put on his shining
glasses and looked through them fully at Fairfax. "It's your Pride,
Tony. What are you going to do?"

For answer, Fairfax rose, stretched out his arms, walked toward his
covered bas-relief and drew away the curtain.

His friend followed him, stood by his side, and, with his thin hand
covering his eyes, looked without speaking at the bas-relief. When he
finally removed his hand and turned, Fairfax saw that his friend's face
was transformed. Rainsford wore a strangely peaceful look, even an
uplifted expression, such as a traveller might wear who sees the door
open to a friendly shelter and foretastes his repose.

Rainsford held out his hand. "Thank you, Tony," and his voice was clear.
"You're a great artist."

When he had gone, Fairfax recalled his rapt expression, and thought,
sadly, "I'm afraid he's a doomed man, dear old Rainsford! Poor old
Peter, I doubt if any climate can save him now." And went heavy-hearted
to prepare his little luncheon of sandwiches and milk.

CHAPTER XXXV

Fairfax had finished his lunch and was preparing to work again when, in
answer to a knock, he opened the door for Tito Falutini, who bore in in
his Sunday clothes, behind him a rosy, smiling, embarrassed lady, whom
Fairfax had not seen for a "weary while."

"_Mrs._ Falutini," grinned his fireman. "_I_ married! Shakka de han."

"Cora!" exclaimed Fairfax, kissing the bride on both her cheeks; "I
would have come to see your mother and you long ago, but I couldn't."

"Shure," said the Irish girl tenderly, her eyes full of tears. "I know,
Mr. Fairfax, dear, and so does the all of us."

He realized more and more how well these simple people knew and how
kindly is the heart of the poor, and he wondered if "Blessed are the
poor in spirit" that the Canon had spoken of in church on Sunday did not
refer to some peculiar kind of richness of which the millionaires of the
world are ignorant. He made Falutini and h