n his arms, and Maria and Gladys, waited
with the stout woman until the train came. The station was closed,
and the woman sat down on a bench outside and immediately fell asleep
herself.

When the train came, Harry thrust a bank-note into the woman's hand,
having roused her with considerable difficulty, and she stumbled on
to the train over her skirts just as she had done in the morning.

Harry knew the conductor. "Look out for that woman," he called out to
him. "She found my little girl that was lost."

The conductor nodded affably as the train rolled out.

Wollaston Lee had gone home when the others descended the stairs and
crossed to the other track. When Harry, with Evelyn in his arms, her
limp little legs dangling, and Maria and Gladys, were on their way
home, the question, which he in his confusion had not thought to put
before, came.

"Why, Maria, where did you come from?" he asked.

"From New York," replied Maria, meekly.

"Her and me went up to her ma-in-law's cousin's, on Forty-ninth
Street, to find the kid," Gladys cut in, glibly, "but the cousin had
moved."

Harry stared at them. "Why, how happened you to do such a thing?" he
asked.

"I couldn't wait home and not do anything," Maria sobbed, nervously.

"Her ma-in-law's cousin had moved," said Gladys.

"How did you find your way?"

"I had been there before," sobbed Maria. She felt for her father's
hand, and grasped it with a meaning of trust and fear which he did
not understand.

"Well, you must never do such a thing again, no matter what happens,"
he said, and held the poor little girl's hand firmly. "Thank God
father's got you both back safe and sound."

Gladys made an abrupt departure on a corner.

"Good-night, M'ria!" she sung out, and was gone, a slim, flying
figure in the gloom.

"Are you afraid to go alone?" Harry called after her, in some
uncertainty.

"Land, no!" came cheerily back.

"How happened she to be with you?" asked Harry.

"She was down at the station when I came home from Wardway," replied
Maria, faintly. Her strength was almost gone. She could hardly
stagger up the steps of the house with her father, he bearing his
recovered child, she bearing her secret.

Chapter XV

Ida was still to be seen rocking when Harry, with Evelyn and Maria,
came in sight of the house. The visiting ladies had gone. Josephine,
with her face swollen and tear-stained, was standing watching at a
window in the dark dining-room. When