“Well, maybe she stopped on the way to do some shopping,” suggested Sam.  “The stores must prove a great attraction to her.”

“She told me yesterday that she was rather tired of shopping,” answered the young husband.  “You see, she went at it pretty strong at the start, so there isn’t so very much left in the way of novelty.  I think I’ll go down and look for her;” and a minute later Dick left the apartment.

“It doesn’t take much to worry him when it concerns Dora,” remarked Tom, dryly.

“Well, it wouldn’t take much to worry you if it concerned Nellie,” retorted his younger brother.

“That’s true, Sam; and the same would hold good with you if it were Grace.”  And then Tom dodged as Sam picked up a sofa pillow and threw, it at him.

The little French clock belonging to Dora was just chiming out the hour of seven when the two boys heard Dick and his wife coming through the hallway.  They were talking earnestly, and evidently the young wife was quite excited.

“Oh, such an experience as I’ve had!” cried Dora, as she came in and sank down into an easy chair.

“Well now, try to calm yourself,” said Dick, soothingly.  “It’s all over now.”

“What was it about?” demanded Tom.  “Did somebody hold you up, or try to steal your, purse?”

“Maybe an auto tried to run over you,” suggested Sam.

“No, it was none of those things,” answered the young wife.  “I’ve just had the strangest experience!”

“She met that gardener you spoke about—­ the fellow who lost his job at the seminary,” explained Dick.  “That chap named Andy Royce.”

“Why, where did you meet him?” exclaimed Sam.  “Did he know you?”

“Yes, he knew me quite well.  When I was at Hope he used to do errands for me now and then and I tipped him quite liberally, so he remembered me,” answered Dora.

“But I met him in the strangest way.  He was at the subway station arguing with the ticket man, who insisted upon it that Royce had not put a ticket in the box.  He wanted the gardener to put another ticket in, and Royce said he wouldn’t do it.  They had a very warm dispute, and a policeman came up to see what it was all about.  Then, thinking that perhaps Royce didn’t have any more money with him—­ he looked terribly shabby—­ I told him I would get another ticket.  Then he suddenly broke down and I thought he was going to cry.  I paid for another ticket, then the train came along and we both got on board.”

CHAPTER XXIII

 On the East side

If Royce began to cry there must have been something radically wrong with him,” declared Tom.  “Dora, do you think he had been drinking?  Sometimes when men drink they break down and cry, you know.”

“I don’t know anything about that, Tom; but I do know that he acted the strangest.  I asked him if he was working, and he said no—­ that he had been unable to get a job of any kind.  Then I questioned him about why he had left Hope, and he said it was because he could not get along with some of the hired help and with Miss Harrow.”