stuff 's in ye,' says I. So they're doin' well. Wrote fur me to
come out in the fall. But I'd rather scratch on, and gather up a
little for Sophy here, before I stop work."

He patted Sophy's tanned little hand on the table, as if beating
some soft tune. Holmes folded up the bills. Even this man could
spare time out of his hard, stingy life to love, and be loved,
and to be generous! But then he had no higher aim, knew nothing
better.

"Well," said Pike, rising, "in case you take th' mill, Mr.
Holmes, I hope we'll be agreeable. I'll strive to do my
best,"--in the old fawning manner, to which Holmes nodded a curt
reply.

The man stopped for Sophy to gather up her bits of broken
"chayney" with which she was making a tea-party on the table, and
went down-stairs.

Towards evening Holmes went out,--not going through the narrow
passage that led to the offices, but avoiding it by a circuitous
route. If it cost him any pain to think why he did it, he showed
none in his calm, observant face. Buttoning up his coat as he
went: the October sunset looked as if it ought to be warm, but he
was deathly cold. On the street the young doctor beset him again
with bows and news: Cox was his name, I believe; the one, you
remember, who had such a Talleyrand nose for ferreting out
successful men. He had to bear with him but for a few moments,
however. They met a crowd of workmen at the corner, one of whom,
an old man freshly washed, with honest eyes looking out of horn