Her strained gaze held a beautiful and piercing intentness.

Then her eyes opened wide, her hand went to cover her mouth, and she cried out: "Oh Blair!--poor boy! Brother!" Only Lane heard her.

The others were crying out themselves as Blair's gray-haired mother received him into her arms.

She seemed a proud woman, broken and unsteady.

Red Payson's grip on Lane's arm told what that scene meant to him.