“And he deserted you!”

“Yes.”

“And took all the money?”

“Yes.”

“And you offered me the only five dollars which you had in the world?”

“What odds? I can make lots of money, and I am alone. I’ve got an idea and——”

Ike was interrupted; there came a rap at the door, the woman betrayed agitation and the little girl turned deathly pale and instinctively ejaculated:

“Oh, dear! it is that awful man.”

Ike suspected the identity of the awful man and called out:

“Come in.”