went down stairs to meet the evils in store.

His mother was not in the kitchen. The door stood open. He heard her
outside talking to a neighbor woman, over the fence.

"--Daren looks dreadful," his mother was saying in low voice. "He
could hardly walk.... It breaks my heart. I'm glad to have him
along--but to see him waste away, day by day, like Mary Dean's boy--"
she broke off.

"Too bad! It's a pity," replied the neighbor. "Sad--now it comes home
to us. My son Ted came in last night and said he'd talked with a boy
who'd seen young Maynard and the strange soldier who was with him.
They must be worse off than Daren--Blair Maynard with only one leg
and--"

"Mother, where are you? I'm hungry," called Lane, interrupting that
conversation.

She came hurriedly in, at once fearful he might have heard, and
solicitous for his welfare.

"Daren, you look better in daylight--not so white," she said. "You sit
down now, and let me get your breakfast."

Lane managed to eat a little this morning, which fact delighted his
mother.

"I'm going to see Dr. Bronson," said Lane, presently. "Then I'll go to
Manton's, and round town a little. And if I don't tire out I'll call