What became of them--these children
with little chance? Was it to try and learn and help that Frances was
living in their midst?
In his office Herrick and Miss Davis were waiting. Work had been
pretty well cleared up, and there was little to be done, and as Van
Landing saw them the memory of his half-waking, half-dreaming thought
concerning them came to him, and furtively he looked from one to the
other.
In a chair near the window, hands in her lap and feet on the rounds,
Carmencita waited, her eyes missing no detail of the scene about her,
and at Miss Davis, who came over to talk to her, she looked with
frank admiration. For a moment there was hesitating uncertainty in Van
Landing's face; then he turned to Herrick.
"Come into the next room, will you, Herrick? I want to speak to you a
minute."
What he was going to say he did not know. Herrick was such a steady
old chap, from him radiated such uncomplaining patience, about him was
such aloofness concerning his private affairs, that to speak to him on
personal matters was difficult. He handed him cigars and lighted one
himself.
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