en and heavens!" murmured Lin McLean. "So you're her kid!"

He relaxed again, down in his chair, his legs stretched their straight
length below the chair in front. He was waked from his bewilderment by
a brushing under him, and there was young Billy diving for escape to the
aisle, like the cornered city mouse that he was. Lin nipped that poor
little attempt and had the limp Billy seated inside again before the two
in discussion beyond had seen anything. He had said not a word to the
boy, and now watched his unhappy eyes seizing upon the various exits and
dispositions of the theatre; nor could he imagine anything to tell him
that should restore the perished confidence. "Why did yu' lead him off?"
he asked himself unexpectedly, and found that he did not seem to know;
but as he watched the restless and estranged runaway he grew more and
more sorrowful. "I just hate him to think that of me," he reflected.
The curtain rose, and he saw Billy make up his mind to wait until they
should all be going out in the crowd. While the children of Captain
Grant grew hotter and hotter upon their father's geographic trail, Lin
sat saying to himself a number of contradictions. "He's nothing to
me; what's any of them to me?" Driven to bay by his bewilderment, he
restated the facts of the past. "Why, she'd deserted him and Lusk before
she'd ever laid eyes on me. I needn't to bother myself. He wasn't never
even my step-kid." The past, however, brought no guidance. "Lord, what's
the thing to do about this? If I had any home--This is a stinkin' world
in some respects," said Mr. McLean, aloud, unknowingly. The lady in the
chair beneath which the cow-puncher had his legs nudged her husband.
They took it for emotion over the sad fortune of Captain Grant, and
their backs shook. Presently each turned, and saw the singular man with
untamed, wide-open eyes glowering at the stage, and both backs shook
again.

Once more his hand was laid on Billy. "Say!" The boy glanced at him, and
quickly away.

"Look at me, and listen."

Billy swervingly obeyed.

"I ain't after yu', and never was. This here's your business, not mine.
Are yu' listenin' good?"

The boy made a nod, and Lin proceeded, whispering: "You've got no call
to believe what I say to yu'--yu've been lied to, I guess, pretty often.
So I'll not stop yu' runnin' and hidin', and I'll never give it away I
saw yu', but yu' keep doin' what yu' please. I'll just go now. I've saw
all I want, but you a