er, were made aware of all the facts. Pictures
of Miss Trent, Mrs. Carter, Major Hagenback, his wife, and many curious
details concerning Mrs. Carter's home were about to appear in the
papers when Colonel Gillis and others who were powerful socially and
politically interfered; the affair was hushed up, but Mrs. Carter was
in distress. This was more than she had bargained for.

Her quondam friends were frightened away for the nonce. She herself
had lost courage. When Cowperwood saw her she had been in the very
human act of crying, and her eyes were red.

"Well, well," he commented, on seeing her--she was in moody gray in the
bargain--"you don't mean to tell me you're worrying about anything, are
you?"

"Oh, Mr. Cowperwood," she explained, pathetically, "I have had so much
trouble since I saw you. You heard of Major Hagenback's death, didn't
you?" Cowperwood, who had heard something of the story from Colonel
Gillis, nodded. "Well, I have just been notified by the police that I
will have to move, and the landlord has given me notice, too. If it
just weren't for my two children--"

She dabbed at her eyes pathetically.

Cowperwood meditated interestedly.

"Haven't you any place you can go?" he asked.

"I have a summer place in Pennsylvania," she confessed; "but I can't go
there very well in February. Besides, it's my living I'm worrying
about. I have only this to depend on."

She waved her hand inclusively toward the various rooms. "Don't you
own that place in Pennsylvania?" he inquired.

"Yes, but it isn't worth much, and I couldn't sell it. I've been
trying to do that anyhow for some time, because Berenice is getting
tired of it."

"And haven't you any money laid away?"

"It's taken all I have to run this place and keep the children in
school. I've been trying to give Berenice and Rolfe a chance to do
something for themselves."

At the repetition of Berenice's name Cowperwood consulted his own
interest or mood in the matter. A little assistance for her would not
bother him much. Besides, it would probably eventually bring about a
meeting with the daughter.

"Why don't you clear out of this?" he observed, finally. "It's no
business to be in, anyhow, if you have any regard for your children.
They can't survive anything like this. You want to put your daughter
back in society, don't you?"

"Oh yes," almost pleaded Mrs. Carter.

"Precisely," commented Cowperwood, who, when he was thinking, a