d prevent her from coming again. She will want to. She
is not herself now. She is out of her head with grief. I love her--I
love her, and I don't wonder that John did and made her his wife. I've
brought all this on her and I can never undo it. You love her, too, I
know it-- I see it in your face and hear it in your voice. I gathered
it, too, from something she let fall about you and her before she met my
son. Now go to a hotel and get some rest. I am going to sit up and I'll
see that no harm comes to her. I'll make her go to the cottage before it
is light, and you will find her there. I promise it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Trott." Joel bowed his uncovered head and held out his
hand. "If I had known that you were--were like this I should not have
worried."

Lizzie pressed his hand and clung to it as if for support to her in what
she next faltered out. "I am a different woman from what I was only
three days ago," she declared. "Certain things have torn me to shreds.
I'm bleeding inside and out. I don't know what I shall do, but I shall
leave this house and bury myself from everybody I've associated with in
the past. You may not think it possible, but I'll die if I don't."

Joel pressed her hand warmly; he bent his head till his eyes met hers
squarely, frankly. "Then I shall help you," he said, fervently. "Not
only that, but I shall not oppose Tilly in anything she wants to do in
your behalf, and she says she believes in you, Mrs. Trott. I am sure
that she will want to see you again, and she must be allowed to do so.
I'll help her."

He left her standing in the center of the street and she slowly walked
to the gate, passed through it, and crept back to her post of vigil at
the window.

CHAPTER XLIV

It was two months after John's acceptance of the position with Pilcher &
Reed. The two partners were in the office together. John happened to be
up-town on business for the firm.

"Well, what do you think of Trott now?" Reed asked, with a significant
smile, referring to some estimates and calculations of John's which he
had just submitted to his partner.

"I think he is a wonder," Pilcher returned. "I was thinking about his
work last night. Do you know that I can see where he has already saved
us several thousands of dollars? He prevents much oversupply of
materials and doesn't let us make our old blunders, which often caused
tearing out and rebuilding. He seems to have an eye for the finished
thing before the work