众人明白了米尔德里德冷酷的眼神，露易丝对她的眼神给出透彻、体谅的解读。第二天早上吃完饭，大家开始到墙内部寻找，这一次终于有了新发现……
Sing Fing excelled himself at the dinner that evening，which was a merry meal because all dangers and worries seemed to belong to the past.Also it was，as Uncle John feelingly remarked，"the first square meal they had enjoyed since the one at Castro's restaurant."Of course Runyon stayed，because he was to help search the wall the next day，and as the telephone had been repaired Louise called up Rudolph and Helen Hahn and begged them to drive over and help them celebrate at the festive board.
So the Hahns came—although they returned home againin the late evening—and it was really a joyous and happy occasion.Inez brought in the baby，which crowed jubilantly and submitted to so many kisses that Patsy declared she was afraid they would wear the skin off Toodlum's chubby cheeks unless they desisted.
Mildred had gone to her room immediately after her confession in the court and Louise had respected her desire for privacy and had ordered her dinner sent in to her.
As they all sat in the library，after dining，in a cosy circlearound the grate fire，they conversed seriously on Mildred Leighton and canvassed her past history and future prospects.
"I cannot see，"said Beth，always the nurse's champion，"that we are called upon to condemn poor Mildred because her father was a criminal.""Of course not，"agreed Patsy，"the poor child wasn't toblame.""These criminal tendencies，"remarked the major gravely，"are sometimes hereditary.""Oh，but that's nonsense！"declared Uncle John."We can'timagine Mildred's becoming a smuggler—or smuggleress，or whatever you call it.That hard，cold look in her eyes，which we all so thoughtlessly condemned，was merely an indication of suffering，of hurt pride and shame for the disgrace that had been thrust upon her.I liked the girl better to—day，as with blazing cheeks she told of all her grief and struggles，than ever before since I knew her.""The expression of the eye，"said Arthur，"is usually considered an infallible indication of character.""That's a foolish prejudice，"asserted Patsy，whose ownfrank and brilliant eyes were her chief attraction.
"I do not think so，dear，"objected Louise."The eyes may not truly indicate character，but they surely indicate one's state of mind.We did not read the hard look in Mildred's eyes correctly，I admit，but it showed her to be on guard against the world's criticism，resentful of her hard fate and hopeless in her longing for a respectable social position.She realized that were her story known she would meet with sneers and jeers on every side，and therefore she proudly held herself aloof a.""But now，"said Patsy，"circumstances have changed Mildred's viewpoint.She found that our knowledge of her story only brought her sympathy and consideration，and when sheleft us I noticed that her eyes were soft and grateful and full of tears."Big Runyon had listened to this conversation rather uneasily and with evident disapproval.Now he said，in as positive a tone as his unfortunate voice would permit：
"That girl's a corkera，and I'm proud of her.In the first place，my mother is a shrewd judge of character.You can't fool her about a person's worth；just see how accurately she judged my character！When the dear old lady—whose only fault is being so close—fistedb—picked up Mildred Leighton and defended her，that act vouched forc the girl's worth beyond dispute.Mrs.Runyon—bless her stingyd old heart！—never makes a mistake.Just think of it：she actually spentmoney in giving Mildred an education as a trained nurse.To my mind that settled the girl's character for all time.Now，I don't care a continental whether she ？nds any smuggled laces or not；she needs a friend，and now that she is away from my mother's care I'm going to be that friend.""Oh，Bul！"cried Louise with lively interest，"are you inlove？""Me？At my age？Cer—tain—ly not！""How old are you？""Thirty.""Old enough to know better，"said Uncle John.
"Old enough to need a wife to care for him，"suggested Helen Hahn.
"Honest Injun，Run；aren't you a little soft on Mildred ？"asked Rudolph.
"Well，perhaps a little；but it's nothing like that currant—jelly，chocolate bonbona，glucoseb—like feeling which I've observed is the outward demonstration of love.""Oh，well；marry the girl and be done with it，then，"laughed Arthur.
"And rob me of my nurse？"protested Louise.
"Runyon needs a nurse as much as Jane.In fact，he's a much bigger baby."Mr.Runyon accepted all this jollying with calm indifference."The days of chivalryc are over，"he sighed."If a fellow tries to protect a maiden in distress，they think he wants tomarry her.""Don't you？"asked Patsy，in a sympathetic tone."Why，I hadn't thought of it before；but it wouldn't bea half—bad idea，"he confessed."Ranch life is a bit lonely without women around to bother one.""You are all talking foolishly，"observed Beth，who wasnot romantic."Mildred might object to washing Mr.Runyon's dishes.""Why，yes；I believe she would，"said Mr.Runyon."I'm sure she disapproves of my character；that's why I respect her judgment，so highly.She didn't seem at all interested in those various mortgages，when I mentioned them；and what else have I to offer a wife？"Even the cosy library could not hold them very late，for none had been fully restored by the sleep obtained during the day.Bed seemed more alluringa than a grate ？re and when the Hahns went home the party broke up，to meet again at an eight o'clock breakfast.
As soon as the meal was over Arthur Weldon announced that the ？rst business of the day would be an examination of the secret rooms in the wall of the old East Wing.