ve an enormous sigh. "Well, it won't come up to-night,
and I've left my little boy alone in the store," said he. "I've got
to be going."

"So have I," said the postmaster. "My wife is alone."

"My wife always stands up for Carroll," said Lee, trotting nervously
after the other men as they left the room. "Says she guesses he will
end up by paying his bills as well as other men that are blaming him."

"Hope to God he will," said the postmaster.

The clerk and the two stenographers from Carroll's office had been
having their heads together over a time-table. They also slipped out
after the three men. The elder one still sniffed softly in her
handkerchief.

The young man looked around at the stair up which Carroll had
disappeared, and winked as he went out. There were left Carroll's
coachman, the Hungarian girl, Madame Estella Griggs, Willy Eddy, and
his wife. The coachman heard a noise of pounding in the stable and
ran out. Marie remained in the doorway looking at the others with her
piteous red eyes; Minna Eddy advanced towards her.

"They owe you your wages, don't they?" said she, with no sympathy,
but rather a menace.

Little Marie shrank back. "Yis," said she, pursing her lips.

"You're a fool!" said Minna Eddy.

Marie smiled feebly at her.

Minna Eddy stood glaring around the room. Her husband was at her
elbow, watching her anxiously.

"Come home now, Minna," he pleaded.

But she stamped her foot suddenly. "I ain't goin' to stand it!" she
declared. "I'm goin' to take what I can get, I be." Her eyes rested
first upon one thing, then another, then she looked hard at the
Oriental rug, which the three tradesmen had discussed. Then she
swooped upon it and began gathering it up from the floor.

"Oh, Minna! Oh, Minna!" gasped little Willy Eddy.

"You lemme be," she said, fiercely. "I see'd them men lookin' at
this. It ain't handsome, but it's worth good money. I heard something
they said. I ain't goin' to lose all that money. I'm goin' to take
what I can git, I be."

"Minna, you--"

"Lemme be."

"It ain't accordin' to law, Minna."

"What do you s'pose I care about the law?" She turned to Estella
Griggs, who was watching her eagerly, with a gathering light of
fierce greed in her eyes. "If you take my advice you'll help yourself
to something while you have the chance," said she.

"Oh, Minna, it's stealin'! You'll be liable--"

"Liable to nothin'. Stealin'! If folks don't steal no more 'n I do,
I'll