left his hiding place and went running toward the back yard. There
was no one there, not even Joe. For a moment his heart stood still. Then
he remembered that he and Joe had played in the barn that morning. Maybe
Joe was afraid of the cloud and had gone to the barn. He unlatched the
lot gate, swung it heavily open, and went into the high, wide hall. Joe
was sitting on the ladder that led up into the loft.

"Heh!" said Tommy.

Joe looked at him strangely.

"Guess who's out there now!" cried Tommy, out of breath. "Bob Kelley.
He's comin' up the walk!"

"Who's he?"

"Pleaseman!"

Joe gasped.

"Cop?"

"Yes, cop!" said Tommy, proud that they had such things in the country
as well as in town. "I'll go an' fin' out what he wants. You stay here.
I'll come back an' tell you. Come on, F'ank!"

He did not look back as he ran. He did not stop at the pillar this time.
He went right up on the porch. Policemen didn't come to their house
every day. Kelley had not sat down.

"That's all right, Bob," Earle was saying. "John or I will look after
him till the matter's settled."

Then, said Kelley, he would be going before the storm broke. He went
down the steps and down the walk. There was no sun now.

Mrs. Davis rose. She was a stout, motherly woman. She was dressed up as
if it were Sunday. Mr. Davis rose, too. You could never tell because of
his beard whether he had on a cravat or not.

"I want to see the child, Steve," Mrs. Davis said. Her face was so
earnest it almost frightened Tommy. "Oh, I hope I will love him! I could
not take a child I did not love. I always thought I wanted one that had
been well brought up. I don't know what I would do with the other
kind--but if he loves me----"

Steve turned and saw Tommy looking up at them with wide eyes. Frank had
lain down in the walk.

"Where have you got your friend stuck away, old man?" asked Steve.

"Out at the barn, Papa. He's skeered."

They all went down the steps. Frank rose and followed, with panting
mouth and wagging tail. He was a part of everything they did. This was
his place as well as theirs, and he had his share in all that went on.
As they turned the corner of the house they came face to face with the
black thunder cloud in the west. As if it had seen them, there came from
its depths a distant rumble.

Steve Earle held the lot gate open for Mrs. Davis. It was like holding
the gate of life open to that boy in the barn. They went into the wide,
lofty