"Where will you go?"

"The Rosenfelds are rather in straits. I thought of helping them to get a

small house somewhere and of taking a room with them. It's largely a matter

of furniture. If they could furnish it even plainly, it could be done.

I--haven't saved anything."

"Do you ever think of yourself?" she cried. "Have you always gone through

life helping people, K.? Save anything! I should think not! You spend it

all on others." She bent over and put her hand on his shoulder. "It will

not be home without you, K."

To save him, he could not have spoken just then. A riot of rebellion

surged up in him, that he must let this best thing in his life go out of

it. To go empty of heart through the rest of his days, while his very arms

ached to hold her! And she was so near--just above, with her hand on his

shoulder, her wistful face so close that, without moving, he could have

brushed her hair.

"You have not wished me happiness, K. Do you remember, when I was going to

the hospital and you gave me the little watch--do you remember what you

said?"

"Yes"--huskily.

"Will you say it again?"

"But that was good-bye."

"Isn't this, in a way? You are going to leave us, and I--say it, K."

"Good-bye, dear, and--God bless you."




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