She thanked him with warmth for coming so quickly, and Peter saw that only the other visitors prevented her from showing some strong feeling.

He had stumbled in on her evening--for at that time people still had evenings--but knowing her wishes, he stayed till they were left alone together.
"Come into the library," she said.

As they passed across the hall she told Morden, "I shall not receive any more to-night." The moment they were in the smaller and cosier room, without waiting to sit even, she began: "Mr.Stirling, I dined at the Manfreys yesterday." She spoke in a voice evidently endeavoring not to break.

Peter looked puzzled.
"Mr.Lapham, the bank president, was there." Peter still looked puzzled.
"And he told the table about a young lawyer who had very little money, yet who put five hundred dollars--his first fee--into his bank, and had used it to help--" Miss De Voe broke down, and, leaning against the mantel, buried her face in her handkerchief.
"It's curious you should have heard of it," said Peter.
"He--he didn't mention names, b-bu-but I knew, of course." "I didn't like to speak of it because--well--I've wanted to tell you the good it's done.

Suppose you sit down." Peter brought a chair, and Miss De Voe took it.
"You must think I'm very foolish," she said, wiping her eyes.
"It's nothing to cry about." And Peter began telling her of some of the things which he had been able to do:--of the surgical brace it had bought; of the lessons in wood-engraving it had given; of the sewing-machine it had helped to pay for; of the arrears in rent it had settled.