Now that Kate had refused to see him he almost wished that Willits's bullet had found its target.
"Where did you say my father was, Alec ?" he asked in a listless voice.
"In his li'l' room, son; dey's all in dar, Marse George Temple, Mister Gilbert--dem two gemmans who stood up wid Mister Willits--dey's all dar.

Don't mind what dey say, honey--jes' you fall back on ol' Alec.

I dassent go in; maybe I'll be yere in de pantry so ye kin git hold o' me.
I'se mos' crazy, Marse Harry--let me git hold oh yo' hand once mo', son.
Oh, my Gawd!--dey sha'n't do nothin' to ye!" The boy took the old man's hand in his, patted it gently and resumed his walk.

The least said the better when Alec felt like this.

It was Kate's voice that pierced his ears--Kate's sobs that wrenched his heart: "You never thought of me!" Nothing else counted.
Harry turned the handle of the door and stepped boldly in, his head erect, his eyes searching the room.