stammered huskily. "It was--it was--a long time
ago--"

"If you understood Joe," she said, in a low
voice, "you would know that before these men
leave this house, he will have their promise never
to tell."

His eyes fell miserably, then lifted again; but in
her clear and unbearable gaze there shone such a
flame of scorn as he could not endure to look upon.
For the first time in his life he saw a true light
upon himself, and though the vision was darkling,
the revelation was complete.

"Heaven pity you!" she whispered.

Eugene found himself alone, and stumbled away,
his glance not lifted. He passed his own home
without looking up, and did not see his mother
beckoning frantically from a window. She ran
to the door and called him. He did not hear her,
but went on toward the Tocsin office with his head
still bent.



XXI

NORBERT WAITS FOR JOE: