ter and beckoned the lad.

He responded promptly, his eyes glittering with greed as they fixed upon
the coin--not to be removed from it till it was in his own possession,
no matter how many questions were asked. These began at once, in a
crisp, imperative tone.

"Little boy, tell me your name."

"Nick, the parson."

"Indeed? Nick Parsons, I suppose. Is it?"

"No'm. I'm Nicky Dodd. I got a father. He's Dodd. So be I, 'course. But
the fellers stuck it onto me 'cause--'cause onct I went to a
Sunday-school."

"Don't you go now, Nick Dodd?"

"No, indeedy! Ketch me!" laughed the boy, watching the gleam of the
money his questioner held so lightly between her gloved fingers. What if
she should drop it! If some other child should see it fall and seize it
before he could! "Was--was you a-wantin' somethin' of me, lady?"

"Yes, I was. Will you show me the way to Captain Beck's house?"

Now Nick loved Glory as well as Billy did and he had as fully understood
from her warning gesture that he was to give this stranger no
information concerning her or her grandfather, but, alas! he also loved
money, and he so rarely had it. Just then, too, the "Biggest Show On
Earth" was up at Madison Square Garden and, if Nick had not remembered
that enticing circus, he might not have betrayed his friend. Yet those
wonderful trained animals----Ah!

"Fer that quarter? Ye-es, ma'am, I--I--will," stammered the lad.

So Miss Laura again left her carriage and walked the narrow, dirty
length of the Lane, past the sharp bend which gave it its name of
"Elbow," far down among the warehouses and wharves crowding the approach
to the bridge. As she walked, she still asked questions and found that
all the dwellers in the Lane were better known by their employments than
their real names, how that Glory's deftness with a needle had made her
"Take-a-Stitch," and anybody might guess why Jane was called "Posy" or
Captain Beck had become the "Singer." Besides, she discovered that this
ragged newsboy was as fond and proud of his "Lane" as she was of her
avenue, and that if she had any pity to bestow, she needn't waste it on
him or his mates and that----

"There 'tis! The littlest house in Ne' York," concluded Nick, proudly
pointing forward, seizing the coin she held so carelessly, and
vanishing.

"Well! have I become a scarecrow that all these children desert me so
suddenly!" exclaimed Miss Laura, looking helplessly about and lifting
her skirts the highe