least this friend has the grace to stay after it has driven the others
away."

"To stay until the last piece of silver is gone."

"But what more does one expect of a friend? Besides, we are overlooking one
friend--the one who helped our clerical fellow-lodger of the attic out of
his troubles to-day."

"His luck has turned?"

"Permanently. He shot himself this afternoon."

"And only this morning I made up my mind to try to help him," said Howard
regretfully.

"You could not have hoped to succeed so well. His case needed something
more than temporary expedient. But, to come to the point, I had a slight
acquaintance with him. He left a note for me--mailed it just before he
shot himself. In it he asked that I insert a personal in the Herald.
Unfortunately I have not the money. I thought that you as a journalist
might be able to suggest something."

The German held out a slip of cheap writing paper on which was written:
"Helen--when you see this it will be over--L."

"A good story," was Howard's first thought, his news-instinct alert. And
then he remembered that it was not for him to tell. "I will attend to this
for you to-morrow."