had purchased a selection of lolly-pops. She had paid for them in
pennies. Someone in the store had seen her climb upon a trolley car
bound for the city. Mr. Lee and Barbara were going on to the city.

But at dusk they returned with no further news. In the crowd at the
city station no one had seen the child! And Billy and his boy friends
had found no trace upon the beach!

"The police are working," the children heard their father say. Then
Mrs. Lee suddenly sank limp against his arm and he led her away.

"Courage--courage!" they heard him whispering.

Nora laid a tempting meal upon the table and carried it away, for no
one could eat a mouthful. Peggy had run to her room, where Keineth
found her-her face buried deep in her pillow.

"Oh," she sobbed, "I've been so mean to Allie lots of times and maybe
she's dead somewhere and I can't ever tell her--"

Keineth could offer small comfort, but the two locked their arms tight
about one another and listened as though in the gathering darkness they
might hear Alice's dear voice.

Mr. Lee had rushed off again to the city after a whispered word to
Barbara to stay close to her mother. Billy, his heart breaking, his
eyes burning with the tears which his boyish pride would not allow him
to show, and feeling the bitterness of his youth and his uselessness,
slowly mounted the stairs to the corner of the attic which was his own
particular den. The nickel of his beloved wireless apparatus gleamed at