nce of electric blaze, with all the glitter and noise of
Willow Grove, died into the dim, sweet night as those two sped onward
toward the city. The heart of the man kept singing, singing, singing: "I
have found her at last! She is safe!"

"I have prayed for you always," he said in one of the pauses. It was just
as they were coming into Flora Street. The urchins were all out on the
sidewalk yet, for the night was hot; and they gathered about, and ran
hooting after the car as it slowed up at the door. "I am sure He did hide
you safely, and I shall thank Him for answering my prayer. And now I am
coming to see you. May I come to-morrow?"

There was a great gladness in her eyes. "Yes," she said.

The Bradys had arrived from the corner trolley, and were hovering about
the door self-assertively. It was most apparent to an onlooker that this
was a good opportunity for an introduction, but the two young people were
entirely oblivious. The man touched his hat gravely, a look of great
admiration in his eyes, and said, "Good night" like a benediction. Then
the girl turned and went into the plain little home and to her belligerent
relatives with a light in her eyes and a joy in her steps that had not
been there earlier in the day. The dreams that visited her hard pillow
that night were heavenly and sweet.

CHAPTER XVI

ALONE AGAIN

"Now we're goin' to see ef the paper says anythin' about our Bessie," said
Grandmother Brady the next morning, settling her spectacles over her nose
comfortably and crossing one fat gingham knee over the other. "I always
read the society notes, Bess."

Elizabeth smiled, and her grandmother read down, the column:

"Mr. George Trescott Benedict and his mother, Mrs. Vincent Benedict, have
arrived home after an extended tower of Europe," read Mrs. Brady. "Mrs.
Benedict is much improved in health. It is rumored they will spend the
summer at their country seat on Wissahickon Heights."

"My!" interrupted Lizzie with her mouth full of fried potatoes. "That's
that fellow that was engaged to that Miss What's-her-Name Loring. Don't
you 'member? They had his picture in the papers, and her; and then all at
once she threw him over for some dook or something, and this feller went
off. I heard about it from Mame. Her sister works in a department-store,
and she knows Miss Loring. She says she's an awfully handsome girl, and
George Benedict was just gone on her. He had a fearful case. Mame says
Miss Lorin