er-like, had gathered
his darling into his arms, as if to hold her against any harm that might
come to her. This happened on the morning following the night when
Silent Lon Cronk told the dark tale of suffering to his pals.

Just how Lon Cronk came to know the inner workings of the Vandecar
household he never confided; but, biding his time, waited for the hour
to come when the blow would be harder to bear. At last it fell, fell not
only upon the brilliant district attorney, but upon his lovely wife and
his hapless children.

* * * * *

One blustering night in March, Lem Crabbe's scow was tied at the locks
near Syracuse. The day for the fulfilment of Lon Cronk's revenge had
arrived. That afternoon Lon had come from Ithaca with his brother Eli to
meet Lem.

"Be ye goin' to steal the kids tonight, Lon?" asked Lem.

"Yep, tonight."

"Why don't ye take just one? It'd make 'em sit up and note a bit to
crib, say, the boy."

"We'll take 'em both," replied Lon decisively.

"And if we get caught?" stammered Crabbe.

"We don't get caught," assured Lon darkly, "'cause tonight's the time
for 'em all to be busy 'bout the Vandecar house. I know, I do--no matter
how!"

* * * * *

Wee Mildred Vandecar was ushered into the world during one of the worst
March storms ever known in the western part of New York. As she lay
snuggled in laces in her father's home, a tall man walked down a lane,
four miles from Ithaca, with her sleeping sister in his arms. The dark
baby head was covered by a ragged shawl; two tender, naked feet
protruded from under a coarse skirt. Lon Cronk struggled on against the
wind to a hut in the rocks, opened the door, and stepped inside.

A woman, not unlike him, in spite of added years, rose as he entered.

"So ye comed, Lon," she said.

"Course! Did Eli get here with the other brat?"

"Yep, there 'tis. And he's been squalling for the whole night and day.
He wanted the other little 'un, I'm a thinkin'."

"Yep," answered Lon somberly, "and he wants his mammy, too. But, as I
telled ye before, she's dead."

"Be ye reely goin' to live to hum, Lon?" queried the old woman eagerly.

"Yep. And ye'll get all ye want to eat if ye'll take care of the kids.
Be ye glad to have me stay to hum?"

"Yep, I'm glad," replied the mother, with a pathetic droop to her
shriveled lips.

Just then the child on the cot turned over and sat up. The small,
tea