This letter written, John hurried to the railway station, but in spite
of express trains, it was dark when he reached London, and long after
seven o'clock when he reached his brother's house. He noticed at once
that the parlors were unlit and that the whole building had a dark,
unprosperous, unhappy appearance. A servant woman admitted him, and
almost simultaneously Lucy came running downstairs to meet him, for
during the years that had passed since her marriage to Harry Hatton,
Lucy had become a real sister to John and he had for her a most sincere
affection.
They went into a parlor in which there had been a fire and stood talking
for a few moments. But the fire was nearly out, and the girl had only
left a candle on the table, and Lucy said, "I was sitting upstairs,
John, beside the children. Harry told me it would be late when he
returned home, so I went to the nursery. You see children are such good
company. Will you go with me to the nursery? It is the girl's night out,
but if you prefer to----"
"Let us go to the nursery, Lucy, and send the girl out.
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