crusty as he was, he was
human, and deep in the hearts of all human beings is the desire to have
people think well of them.

It was the first time any of them but the Donovans had been in the
apartment. Mr. Wells threw open doors to closets and pantries. He
even scornfully opened drawers and cupboards.

"Make a thorough search while you're about it," he snarled.

Under the sink in the kitchen Bob Strahan caught a bright gleam. He
stooped down and picked up a piece of heavy brass wire. It had been
broken at both ends and was twisted and bent. Bob Strahan stared at it
and whistled softly.

"What is it?" Miss Carter ran across to him. He drew her aside and
showed her the brass 'wire. "Do you see that? It's the kind of wire
that bird cages are made of."

"Oh!" Miss Carter stared at him. She couldn't believe it. She turned
and stared at Mr. Wells as he stood so contemptuously and watched his
neighbors. There was a sneer on his face. "I w-wouldn't have believed
that anyone would be so despicable!"

"He's been a selfish brute, always finding fault with everyone and
everything. You might almost think he was the darned old owner
himself," muttered Bob Strahan.

"He wouldn't make himself so disagreeable if he was the owner." Miss
Carter nodded a wise head. "He'd be too anxious to please his tenants.
No, it's just because he's so selfish and disagreeable and," she looked
at the broken wire and thought of friendly Jenny Lind, "brutal!"

"You're quite sure the child is not here?" they heard Mr. Wells say in
a voice that was as sarcastic as a voice could be, and there was a most
unpleasant glare in the cold black eyes. "Quite convinced that I
haven't hidden her away to fatten for my breakfast?"

"Mr. Wells! Mr. Wells!" began Mrs. Donovan indignantly but her spirit
died and she cried instead--quite involuntarily you may be sure: "Oh,
Mary Rose said there was sure to be good in you if we'd look for it."

It seemed to Miss Carter that a black screen was drawn over Mr. Wells'
face. He said not a word but walked to the door and threw it wide
open. One by one his neighbors went out. No one said anything; there
seemed to be nothing to say.

"Good night." Mr. Wells spoke with cold, almost ominous, curtesy and
he would have shut the door in their faces if he had not caught the
pitying look in a girl's eyes. A dull red crept into his face.
Involuntarily he stepped toward Elizabeth Thorley. "If you hear
an