ut Janet could not answer. She kissed her mother, and went out, down
the stairs into the street. The day was sharp and cold and bracing, and
out of an azure sky the sun shone with dazzling brightness on the snow,
which the west wind was whirling into little eddies of white smoke,
leaving on the drifts delicate scalloped designs like those printed
by waves on the sands of the sea. They seemed to Janet that morning
hatefully beautiful. In front of his tin shop, whistling cheerfully and
labouring energetically with a shovel to clean his sidewalk, was Johnny
Tiernan, the tip of his pointed nose made very red by the wind.

"Good morning, Miss Bumpus," he said. "Now, if you'd only waited awhile,
I'd have had it as clean as a parlour. It's fine weather for coal
bills."

She halted.

"Can I see you a moment, Mr. Tiernan?"

Johnny looked at her.

"Why sure," he said. Leaning his shovel against the wall, he gallantly
opened the door that she might pass in before him and then led the
way to the back of the shop where the stove was glowing hospitably.
He placed a chair for her. "Now what can I be doing to serve you?" he
asked.

"It's about my sister," said Janet.

"Miss Lise?"

"I thought you might know what man she's been going with lately," said
Janet.

Mr. Tiernan had often wondered how much Janet knew about her sister. In
spite of a momentary embarrassment most unusual in him, the courage of
her question made a strong appeal, and his quick sympathies suspected
the tragedy behind her apparent calmness. He met her magnificently.

"Why," he said, "I have seen Miss Lise with a fellow named Duval--Howard
Duval--when he's been in town. He travels for a Boston shoe house,
Humphrey and Gillmount."

"I'm afraid Lise has gone away with him," said Janet. "I thought you
might be able to find out something about him, and--whether any one had
seen them. She left home yesterday morning."

For an instant Mr. Tiernan stood silent before her, his legs apart, his
fingers running through his bristly hair.

"Well, ye did right to come straight to me, Miss Janet. It's me that can
find out, if anybody can, and it's glad I am to help you. Just you stay
here--make yourself at home while I run down and see some of the boys.
I'll not be long--and don't be afraid I'll let on about it."

He seized his overcoat and departed. Presently the sun, glinting on the
sheets of tin, started Janet's glance straying around the shop,
noting its disor