Kenneth and Beth remained silent for a time after Mrs. Rogers had finished her tragic story, for their hearts were full of sympathy for the poor woman.  It was hard to realize that a refined, beautiful and educated girl had made so sad a mistake of her life and suffered so many afflictions as a consequence.  That old Will had never been a fitting mate for his wife could readily be understood, and yet the man was still devoted to his helpless, unresponsive spouse.  The fault was not his.

The boy and the girl both perceived that there was but one way they could assist Mrs. Rogers, and that was to discover what had become of her child.

“Was Lucy like you, or did she resemble her father?” asked Beth.

“She is—­she was very like me when I was young,” replied the woman.  “There is a photograph of her on the wall there between the windows; but it was taken five years ago, when she was a child.  Now she is—­she was eighteen, and a well-developed young woman.”

“I’ve been looking at the picture,” said Kenneth.

“And you mustn’t think of her as dead, Mrs. Rogers,” said Beth, pleadingly.  “I’m sure she is alive, and that we shall find her.  We’re going right to work, and everything possible shall be done to trace your daughter.  Don’t worry, please.  Be as cheerful as you can, and leave the search to us.”

The woman sighed.

“Will believes she is alive, too,” she said.  “He can’t sleep or rest till he finds her, for my husband loves her as well as I do.  But sometimes I feel it’s wicked to hope she is alive.  I know what she suffers, for I suffered, myself; and life isn’t worth living when despair and disappointment fills it.”

“I cannot see why Lucy shouldn’t yet be happy,” protested Beth.  “Tom Gates is now free, and can begin life anew.”

“His trouble will follow him everywhere,” said Mrs. Rogers, with conviction.  “Who will employ a bookkeeper, or even a clerk who has been guilty of forgery?”

“I think I shall give him employment,” replied Kenneth.

“You, Mr. Forbes!”

“Yes.  I’m not afraid of a boy who became a criminal to save the girl he loved.”

“But all the world knows of his crime!” she exclaimed.

“The world forgets these things sooner than you suppose,” he answered.  “I need a secretary, and in that position Tom Gates will quickly be able to live down this unfortunate affair.  And if he turns out as well as I expect, he will soon be able to marry Lucy and give her a comfortable home.  So now nothing remains but to find your girl, and we’ll try to do that, I assure you.”

Mrs. Rogers was crying softly by this time, but it was from joy and relief.  When they left her she promised to be as cheerful as possible and to look on the bright side of life.

“I can’t thank you,” she said, “so I won’t try.  You must know how grateful we are to you.”

As Beth and Kenneth drove back to Elmhurst they were both rather silent, for they had been strongly affected by the scene at the farm-house.