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the rocky lane, a few onlookers, out of a sort of morbid curiosity, remained and drew near this second grave. After a while two horses pulled an old hearse to this place and behind it, in a buggy, a labourer from the railroad camp brought a girl with a baby in her lap. Three other labourers came in a wagon to help with the work of the burial.

There was no ceremony; there was no priest. The girl with her baby got out of the buggy and stood staring, dry-eyed, as the men lowered and covered the box.

Abner went up to the woman with a strange shaken feeling; whether of grief or not he hardly knew.

"Nessie," he said in a low tone.

She looked around at him with solemn, impassive face.

"Yes, Abner."

"I—I heard of yore trouble, Nessie."

"Yes," nodded the girl.

The baby in her arms began to whimper and she soothed it by bending her head down to it.

"Are you going to keep on living at the old Coltrane place, Nessie?" asked Abner after a pause.

"There is nowhere else for me to go."

The teamster stood torn by some vague irresolution which he felt but could not understand. Nessie turned a little away from him and gave her bosom to the whimpering baby.

A profound and entirely unforeseen emotion filled Abner—a feeling of unity with this mother deeper than any he had ever felt even in his most tender moments with her. Without forethought he stammered out, "I—I'll come over in a day or two an' see if I can help you in any way, Nessie."

She made no answer, but stood perfectly still with the baby at her breast, as if she sensed the silent commotion of his heart. The labourers finished filling and mounding the grave.

For some time after the death of Railroad Jones, Abner remained in Lanesburg with the Sandages, waiting to do what he could when some legal action was taken against