Mr. Lynch, that
you're too good to come with us! Ma, (turning to a meek-faced woman),
leave the door unlocked. The meeting'll be a long one."

And just as Mrs. Williams patted down the last sandwich, Mrs. Lynch,
with a shaking hand, closed the door and, turning, faced Dale and Robin.

"Well, of all the ungrateful creatures!" cried Beryl, who had taken in
the little scene from the kitchen door.

"Now don't you be a-caring, girlie dear," begged Mrs. Lynch, frightened
at Robin's stricken face.

Robin turned her glance around the deserted room as though she simply
could not believe her eyes. It must surely be an awful dream from which
she would awaken. Mrs. Lynch went on, speaking quickly as though to
keep back her own tears of disappointment. "It's a grand time the
kiddies had this day, bless the little hearts of them, and a loving you
like you were some bit of a fairy--the impudence of them--"

"Who are the Rileys?" demanded Robin, sternly--for she _had_ to know;
the Rileys had spoiled her beautiful plans.

"Now don't you be a-bothering your bright head with the Rileys or anyone
else--"

Dale interrupted his mother. On his face still lingered the dark flush
that had crept up over it at the black-eyed girl's taunt.

"I don't know why Miss Forsyth _shouldn't_ know the reason the Mill
people didn't come tonight. There's a big protest meeting about the
Rileys--it wasn't gotten up until five o'clock or I'd have told you. Tim
Riley's been laid up for six months and he's just back on half-time and
can't ever do any better, I guess--and he's been ordered out of his
house which means--up the river--"

"Up--where Granny Castle lives?" broke in Robin, in a queer voice.

"Yes. And it's hard on Tim's wife and her children--they're just little
things. And he can't go anywhere else, now. It seems Tim's wife went
herself to Norris and begged for a little time until she heard from an
uncle up in Canada or found some way of earning extra money herself, and
Norris wouldn't give in for one day. The men are all pretty sore and
they called this meeting--"

"That's where that girl wanted you to go?"

"Yes. And that's why Adam Kraus had to hurry off."

Robin suddenly clutched at her pocket, her face flaming. "Dale, will you
hurry--down to that meeting--and take them--this?" She held out a thick
roll of bills. "It maybe isn't enough but it will help. I had saved it
for something else, but, oh, those babies just _can't_ go to that