Sue laughed. "_I_? What an idea! Why, I don't think I've ever even had the thought. Anyhow, the years have gone--the inclination is gone, if it ever was there. I'm too old." Then with sudden and passionate earnestness, "But you two." She rose and took each by a hand, and led them to the dial. "Read! Read what is written in the stone!--_Tempus Fugit_--time flies! Oh, take your happiness while you can! Don't wait. Oh, don't!--We must find a way somehow. The Church--we must see the proper authorities--oh, it isn't right that you two should be punished----" "Momsey!" Peter, the pale, was calling from the drawing-room door. "There's a gentleman----" A man appeared behind the boy, and pushed past into the Close--a young man, unshaven and haggard, with bloodshot eyes. "Is there something I can do for you?" asked Farvel, quickly. He hastened toward the visitor, who looked as if he had suddenly gone mad. "Hull is my name," announced the man; "--Felix Hull." "Oh, yes," said Sue, eagerly. She signed to Hattie to go, and the girl hastened away through the door under the wedding-bell. "You have news?" questioned Farvel. Hull crossed the lawn to the dial. He walked slowly, like an old man. And his shoulders were bent. His derby hat was off, and he clutched it in two shaking hands. "Tell us," bade Sue. "It's--bad news?" "Yes." "Take your time," she added kindly. "Yesterday--just before you saw her--I was there. She was--well, you know. She begged me to go--and keep away from the house. That made me suspicious. I told her I wouldn't come back. Well, I didn't. Because I never left. I knew she wasn't telling me the truth--I beg your pardon, sir.--So I hung around. I saw you all go in. After a little, I saw her come out--on the run. I followed. She went about twenty blocks----" "Where?" "You're Miss Milo, aren't you?" "Susan Milo." "She spoke of you--oh, so--so loving. Well, it was a girl's club--called the Gramercy. I knew it well because we'd met there many a time. I went in. There was a new maid on hand, but I saw Clare. She came right away, like as if she was more than glad to have a talk. I didn't expect that, so I'd brought along a canary--to make her think it was hers--the one she'd left behind, you see,--so she couldn't just refuse to see me. Well, we talked. There wasn't any quarreling. She wasn't a bit broke up--that surprised me. And it threw me clean off my guard. She was highty-tighty, as you might say, and I'll admit it hurt. We shook hands though, when I went, but she didn't ask me to stay to tea." He turned to Farvel. "One thing she said about the child she wanted you to know." "What?" "It's not your daughter, sir." "Ah." "And I hear from the St. Clair woman that the little one isn't as old as Clare said. So----" "I understand."