CHAPTER XXIII 

ON THE EAST SIDE 

If Royce began to cry there must have been something radically wrong with him," declared Tom. "Dora, do you think he had been drinking? Sometimes when men drink they break down and cry, you know." 

"I don't know anything about that, Tom; but I do know that he acted the strangest. I asked him if he was working, and he said no-- that he had been unable to get a job of any kind. Then I questioned him about why he had left Hope, and he said it was because he could not get along with some of the hired help and with Miss Harrow." 

"Say!" cried Sam. "Did he say anything about that four-hundred-dollar diamond ring that was missing?" 

"Why, no, Sam. I didn't mention it, and he didn't say anything about it either. Perhaps he didn't know it was missing." 

"Oh, he must know about it," broke in Tom. "It was talked about all over the place." 

"Well, what happened next?" questioned Dick. 

"I talked to him for awhile, and I found out that he was out of work and also out of money. I felt sorry for him, and I offered to lend him ten dollars," answered Dora. "I hope you don't think I did wrong," she went on, anxiously. 

"You meant well, Dora, I'm sure of that," was Dick's quick reply, "but whether the money will do this fellow Royce any good or not, is a question. If he is a drinking man, he'll drink it up very quickly and that will be the end of it." 
Did anyone comlement her?
You meant well, Dora, I'm sure of that," was Dick's quick reply