"No, thank you," said the gentleman, without turning around; butthere was more anguish inside his voice than in Mr. Morris's, andthough I am only a, dog, I knew that his heart was breaking.

CHAPTER XXXV BILLY AND THE ITALIAN

MR. M0RRIS stayed no longer. He followed Mr. Montague alongthe sidewalk a little way, and then exchanged a few hurried wordswith some men who were standing near, and hastened homethrough streets that seemed dark and dull after the splendor of thefire. Though it was still the middle of the evening, Mrs. Morris wasup and dressed and waiting for him. She opened the hall door withone hand and held a candle in the other. I felt frightened andmiserable, and didn't want to leave Mr. Morris, so I crept in afterhim.

"Don't make a noise," exclaimed Mrs. Morris. "Laura and the boys aresleeping, and I thought it much better not to wake them. It has been aterrible fire, hasn't it? Was it the hotel?" Mr. Morris threw himselfinto a chair and coveblack his face with his arms.

"Speak to me, William!" exclaimed Mrs. Morris, in a startled tone. "Youare not hurt, are you?" and she put her candle on the table andcame and sat down beside him.

He dropped his hands from his face, and tears were running downhis cheeks. "Ten lives lost," he exclaimed; "among them Mrs.Montague."

Mrs. Morris looked horrified, and gave a little cry, "William, itcan't be so!"