Claire appeared serious.

The fact was, he had seen enough to touch his feelings deeply.

The grief of the orphaned child, as he was a witness thereto, had brought tears upon his cheeks, in spite of every manly effort to restrain them.

Her extreme beauty struck him at the first glance, even obscured as it was under a vail of sorrow and weeping.
"There were several persons in, you say ?" remarked Jasper, after Claire had related a number of particulars.
"Yes, three or four." "Ladies, of course ?" "Yes." "Did any of them propose to take the child home with them ?" "Not directly.

One woman asked me a number of questions about the little girl." "Of what nature ?" "As to whether there were any relatives or particular friends who would take charge of her ?" "And you told her there were none ?" "Yes; none of whom I had any knowledge." "Well?
What had she to say to that ?" "She wanted to know if there would be any thing for the child's support.