"Why, Laird!" she cried desperately, "the man who thinks so much of Carolyn and whose wife has taken such a fancy to the baby would be more our friend than your father. Why won't you go to see him at the Orowoc House? Barzilla says he made an open offer to help you--" "Without knowing who I am," interrupted Bassett hoarsely. "What of that? Are you too proud to accept a business favour--for _my_ sake? For Baby Laird's sake?" "You know whether I love you or not, Girl," he said, his voice broken, but turning his face aside that she should not see his emotion. "If it was possible I would do as you--and Barzilla--ask. I will accept what my father offers me, through Inness, if I must; but I cannot beg money of any man. And to go to the Orowoc House on such an errand would be begging." She said no more. Her beautiful eyes filled and she bent her head, hiding her face from him. Bassett stared down at her with strange yearning in his countenance. Yet he whispered: "I cannot do that--I cannot!" It was a significant moment in their lives. After that even Carolyn May saw that there was a rift in the bond of perfect love and confidence that had heretofore existed between the pale lady and her husband. CHAPTER XXVIII "MURDER WILL OUT" The sunny heart of Carolyn was vastly troubled by the unhappiness she saw about her. As Aunty Rose Kennedy would have said, "everything was at sixes and sevens." "And I truly-looly wish we hadn't come away from there, Mamma Cam'ron," she sighed. "Come away from where, dear?" her mother asked. "From the Corners, and Uncle Joe, and Aunt Mandy, and Aunty Rose Kennedy, and Freda, and dear little Car'lyn Mandy, too! I love Baby Laird; but Car'lyn Amanda is our owniest own--isn't she?" "Well," agreed her mother, "she is a near relative, at least." "Yes. She is a relative of ours, isn't she? And you can do more for relatives--and they can do more for you--than other folks. Now, wouldn't it be nice if my friend at the Orowoc House was a relative of Baby Laird's father? _Then_ he could go to him and get all the money he wanted--couldn't he?" "Sh! It isn't nice to talk about other people's private affairs, Carolyn," admonished her mother. "Why, mamma! 'tisn't private affairs, is it? It's the pale lady's affairs and Mr. Laird's affairs. And both Miss Molly and Barzilla are int'rested in it. And I'm sure Papa Cam'ron and you and me are awf'ly anxious 'bout Mr. Laird getting money so he can salt swordfish with Barzilla. "So if he was related to my friend at the Orowoc House I guess likely he could go to him and get the money he wants. Barzilla thinks so," concluded Carolyn. Her mother's curiosity was suddenly aroused again. "Carolyn May," she asked, "what is that gentleman's name?" "My friend?" the little girl asked complacently. "Yes." "His name is Henry. That is what the lady calls him. I heard her." "I mean his last name."