At that Dr. Lavendar's face suddenly shone. "David," he said, "the greatest thing in the world is to know that God is always beginning again!" But David had turned to the window to watch a prowling cat upon a roof; and then, alas, it was time to start. "Well," said Dr. Lavendar, as, hand in hand, they walked to the big, roaring place where the cars were, "Well, David, to-morrow we shall be at home again! You sit down here and take care of my bag while I go and get the tickets." David slid sidewise on to the slippery wooden settee. He had nothing to say; again he felt that bleak sinking right under his little breast-bone; but it stopped in the excitement of seeing Mrs. Richie's brother coming into the waiting-room! There was a young lady at his side, and he piloted her across the big, bare room, to the very settee upon which David was swinging his small legs. "I must see about the checks, dear," he said, and hurried off without a glance at the little boy who was guarding Dr. Lavendar's valise. The sun pouring through the high, dusty window, shone into David's eyes. He wrinkled his nose and squinted up at the young lady from under the visor of his blue cap. She smiled down at him, pleasantly, and then opened a book; upon which David said bravely, "You're nineteen. I'm seven, going on eight." "What!" said the young lady; she put her book down, and laughed. "How do you know I am nineteen, little boy?" "Mrs. Richie's brother said so." She looked at him with amused perplexity. "And who is Mrs. Richie's brother?" David pointed shyly at the vanishing figure at the end of the waiting-room. "Why, no, dear, that's my father." "_I_ know," said David; "he's Mr. Pryor, Mrs. Richie's brother. He comes and stays at our house." "Stays at your house? What on earth are you talking about, you funny little boy! Where is your house?" "O' Chester," said David. The young lady laughed and gave him a kind glance. "You've made a mistake, I think. My father doesn't know Mrs. Richie." David had nothing to say, and she opened her book. When Mr. Pryor returned, hurrying to collect the bags and umbrellas, David had turned his back and was looking out of the window. It was not until they were in the train that Alice remembered to speak of the incident. "Who in the world is Mrs. Richie?" she demanded gayly, "and where is Old Chester?" The suddenness of it was like a blow. Lloyd Pryor actually gasped; his presence of mind so entirely deserted him, that before he knew it, he had lied--and no one knew better than Lloyd Pryor that it is a mistake to lie hurriedly. "I--I don't know! Never heard of either of them." His confusion was so obvious that his daughter gave him a surprised look. "But I'm told you stay at Mrs. Richie's house, in Old Chester," she said laughing. "What are you talking about!" "Why, father," she said blankly; his irritation was very disconcerting.