"No," he said, taking off his overcoat, and wrapping it around the
child, his hands and arms shaking with eager pity as he lifted her
from the chair. "She shall go home with me for one night at least.
I will say to my wife, 'Here is a little hungry thing whom God has
sent you from the street.' She will be welcome, sir. I am sure she
will be as welcome as if I were to carry home a casket of gold in
my bosom. Will you go home with me, little girl?"

The child turned her large eyes upon him; a smile of ineffable
sweetness floated over her face, and drawing a deep breath, she said:

"Oh, yes, I will go!"

"You will excuse the trouble," said Chester, turning with his burden
toward the Mayor as he went out, "the case seemed so urgent!"

"Oh, it is all excused," replied his honor, bowing stiffly as he
walked towards the door, "but I shall remember--never doubt that!"
he muttered with a smile, in which all the inward duplicity of his
nature shone out.

That instant a carriage drove up to the door, and after some bustle
a lady entered, followed by a young lad, who paused a moment on the
upper step and gave some orders to the coachman in a clear, cheerful
voice, that seemed out of place in that house.

"Why don't you come in?" cried the lady, folding her rose-colored
opera-cloak closely around her, "you fill the whole house with cold."

"In a moment--in a moment," cried the boy, breaking into a snatch