Undertow

st Nancy. He had been spending the summer with a friend, at the friend's uptown house, but now he thought h

ight even be here! Or they might tell him she was engaged to Clark Belknap of Marylan

rett was here-he knew that? Well, didn't he know that the dea' old Colonel had passed away suddenly-Miss Augusta's tears flowed afresh. Nancy had come in u

atues, and the square piano. He comforted Miss Augusta, he even put one arm about her. Was th

said, blowing her nose damply. "Po' child, she hasn't got a brot

heart

ged. "And what about t

nd clothes?-would s

gone down town, po' child, she didn't want much. And yes, she

and tears came from some remote region. Then quietly and slowly Nancy, in new black, came in. And Bert knew that to t

' Sally Anne drew him aside and told him to make Nancy drink her good hot tea. She drank it, at his command. Clark Belknap came that evening; others came-all too late. Before the first of them, Bert had taken her to the train, had made her as comfortable as he could, had sat beside her, with her soft gloved hand tight in his,

aid, smiling bravely. And in a tense unde

some supper-just to

pered pitifully. His response was to put his clean, folded handkerchief int

alad," he urged. "Will

I'll try," she

himself: "This is the second of October. I'll give h

, old jet and coral jewelry, and frail old silk gowns were much in evidence. They were sitting about the coal fire in the back drawing-room, when Nancy and Bert chanced to

themselves in the watery dimness of the mirror above. Nancy, slender and exquisite, was in unrelieved, lacy black; her hair was as softly black as her gown. Her white hands were

le she was. Dorothy had wanted Cousin Albert to come to her for Thanksgiving. No, a thousand thanks-but Miss Barrett was so much alone now. He must be near her. Dorothy kept her thoughts on the su

t his neck, on this memorable Christmas night and laid her chee

s. Venables came back half an hour later, and a g