The small living room on the first floor was cheerful with late sunshine. Ellie partly closed the Venetian-blinds so that the corners of the room were shadowed. Howard went to the settee. "Let's talk a while, Sis," he said. "It's been so long." Ellie sat beside him. "All right. The boys will be home from school soon and Ted gets home from work in an hour. That will be time enough to make arrangements." "I'll take care of the expenses," said Howard. "Oh, thank you. But you've done so much." "I can afford it. I wanted to--" "I know." Ellie patted her brother's hand. "We had to trick her so that you could do for her. It's too bad but that's the way it had to be. We could never have given her the luxuries you provided." To Ada the voices had a metallic sound, like the tinkle of silverbells. So Howard was the one! He had taken care of her after all! No, if she had known, her stubborn pride would not have allowed it. Somehow, pride did not figure now. She knew that she had lost a lot through false pride. The anger she had felt toward Howard was not there now--only regret. Ellie's voice went on. "I'm sorry mother was so far gone. I thought she might rally and know you at the end." "I came as soon as I got your wire," said Howard, sadly. "I'm glad I was in this country. It's just as well she didn't know me. She didn't want to see me." Then he brightened. "I'm so anxious to see your boys. How old did you say they are?" "Carl is twelve and Alfred is fourteen." "Are they doing well in school?" "Fair. Enough to get by. Like average boys. But Alfred--I don't know." "What about Alfred?" "He has a talent for sketching. Wants to go into commercial art. It's funny, neither Ted nor I can draw a straight line. Ted wants Alfred to learn a trade. He says we can't afford to give the boys extra advantages. We still have a mortgage on this house. Ted had an operation and lost a lot of time at the factory. It's always something." Howard reached for his sister's hand. "Don't discourage the boy," he said, "You folks are all I've got. I'll see that the boys get their chance, if you and Ted will let me." "Oh, Howard, you're sweet." Ellie brushed tears from her eyes. Ada moved closer. She should have known about Alfred's talent but she was always too tired to take an interest in the boy's studies. Yes, Howard would take care of it. But _she_ had planted the seed of _her_ talent in Alfred. She had left something after all! And, through her going, Howard would be close to this family for the rest of their lives. "I can't believe I am back here after all those years," said Howard, dreamily. "When I first left I was very homesick. But I could see no future in this town. What chance did drunken Ben Webster's kid have here? Yet, I knew that if I wrote to Mother and gave her a chance to coax me back, I would come.