the washing back and forth from
the customers', she'd manage to support him by taking in dirty linen. Then
Mrs. Tresslyn broke down. Damme, Brady, it brought tears to my eyes. You
don't know how affecting it is to see a high and mighty person like Mrs.
Tresslyn humble herself like that. She didn't cry. I was the only one who
cried, curse me for a silly ass. She just simply said that Lutie was the
best and bravest girl in the world and that she was sorry for all that she
had done to hurt her. And she asked Lutie to forgive her. Then Lutie put
her arm around her and called her an old dear. I didn't see any more on
account of the infernal tears. But Lutie wouldn't take back the money. She
said that it didn't belong to her and that she couldn't look George in the
face if she kept it. So that's how it stands. She and George have a tiny
little apartment 'way up town,--three rooms, I believe, and so far she
hasn't taken in anybody's washing. Anne wants to refund the money to
Lutie, but doesn't know how to go about it. She--er--sort of left it to me
to find the way. Lordy, I seem to get all of the tough jobs."

"You are a brick, Simmy," said Thorpe, laying his arm across the little
man's shoulders.

"Heigh-ho!" sighed Simmy. Later on, as they returned through the fog that
was settling down about them, he inquired: "By the way, will you be ready
to start back with me to-morrow?"

"Lord love you, no," cried Thorpe. "I've agreed, to help old man Stingley
with the boat house. I'll come down in three weeks, Simmy."

"Lordy, Lordy!" groaned Simmy, dejectedly. "Three weeks in this God-
forsaken place? I'll die, Brady."

"You? What are you talking about?"

"Why, you don't suppose I'm going back without you, do you?"

CHAPTER XXII

Anne Thorpe remained in Europe for a year, returning to New York shortly
before the breaking out of the Great War. She went to the Ritz, where she
took an apartment. A day or two after her arrival in the city, she sent
for Wade.

"Wade," she said, as the old valet stood smirking before her in the little
sitting-room, "I have decided not to re-open the house. I shall never re-
open it. I do not intend to live there."

The man turned a sickly green. His voice shook a little. "Are--are you
going to close it--for good,--madam?"

"I sent for you this morning to inquire if you are willing to continue
living there as caretaker until--"

"You may depend on me, Mrs. Thorpe, to--" he broke in eage