"Would Dr. Lavendar let you have him, if--he knew?"

"But that's over; that's finished," she insisted. "oh, I tell you,

it's over!"

The doctor's silence was like a whip.

"Oh, I know; you think that he was here last week. But there has to be

a beginning of everything--that was the beginning. I told him I would

not give David up to marry him; and we quarrelled. And--it's over."

"I can't go into that," the doctor said. "That's not my business.

David is my business. Mrs. Richie, I want you quietly, without any

explanation, to give the boy back to Dr, Lavendar. If you don't, I

shall have no choice. I shall have to tell him."

"But you said you wouldn't tell him! Oh, you break your word--"

"I won't tell him your affairs," said William King. "I will never do

that. But I'll tell him my own--some of them. I'll say I made a

mistake when I advised him to let you have David, and that I don't

think you ought to be trusted to bring up a little boy. But I won't

say why."

"Dr. King, if I tell him just what you've said; that you think you

made a mistake, and you think I am not to be trusted;--if I tell him

myself, and he consents to let me keep him, will you interfere?"

William reflected heavily. "He won't consent," he said; "he'll know I

wouldn't say a thing like that without reason. But if he does, I shall

be silent."

There was a despairing finality in his words. They were at her own

gate now; she leaned her head down on it, and he heard a pitiful

sound. William King's lips were dry, and when he spoke the effort made

his throat ache. What he said was only the repetition of his duty as

he saw it. "I'd rather lose my right hand than make you suffer. But

I've no choice. I've no choice!" And when she did not answer, he added

his ultimatum. "I'll have to tell Dr. Lavendar on Sunday, unless you

will just let me settle it all for you by saying that you don't want

David any long--"

"Not want David!"

"I mean, that you've decided you won't keep him any longer. I'll find

a good home for him, Mrs. Richie," he ended in a shaking voice.

She gave him one look of terror; then opened the gate and shut it

quickly in his face, drawing the bolt with trembling fingers. As she

flew up the path, he saw her for an instant as she crossed a patch of

moonlight; then the darkness hid her.




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