"I just stopped for a second to look at it under the lamp," he
muttered apologetically.

"That was a silly thing to do!"

"Perhaps it was," he admitted meekly.

Daisy had taken up the paper. "Well, they don't say much," she
said disappointedly. "Hardly anything at all! But perhaps Mr.
Chandler 'll be in soon again. If so, he'll tell us more about it."

"A young girl like you oughtn't to want to know anything about
murders," said her stepmother severely. "Joe won't think any the
better of you for your inquisitiveness about such things. If I
was you, Daisy, I shouldn't say nothing about it if he does come in
--which I fair tell you I hope he won't. I've seen enough of that
young chap to-day."

"He didn't come in for long--not to-day," said Daisy, her lip
trembling.

"I can tell you one thing that'll surprise you, my dear"--Mrs.
Bunting looked significantly at her stepdaughter. She also wanted
to get away from that dread news--which yet was no news.

"Yes?" said Daisy, rather defiantly. "What is it, Ellen?"

"Maybe you'll be surprised to hear that Joe did come in this morning.
He knew all about that affair then, but he particular asked that