us old dame would seek to enrich his visit by tittle-tattle about her neighbors, she had never tried it a second time. Doctor John of Barnegat either received the ne

life; but he accepted her silence as part of her whole attitude toward him. Knowing her as he did, he was convinced that her sole incentive was one of loving kindness, both for the child and for the poor mother whose sin or whose poverty she was concealing. In this connection, he remembered how in one of her letters to

little scraps of news, reliable or not, about either Jane or her absent sister were eagerly listened to. Finding it impossible to restrain herself any longer, she had seize

s so foolish as to bring

thout lifting his eyes fro

ut one of her eccentricities, but she owes something to her

asked the doctor, his

ing about it. Some of the gossip is ou

versation, and Miss Jane for the moment is furnishing one of them. They utilize you, dear mother, and me, and everybo

erson who told me how foolish and silly it was, b

e doctor, laying down his bo

Barton, the one that quarrelled with his father and who went t

graphy doesn't seem to make much difference to some of our good people. Why do you listen to such nonsense?" he added as he kissed her tenderly and, with a pat on her cheek, left the room for his stu

t ward off?" With this came the thought of his own helplessness to comfort her. He had taken her at her word that night before she left for Paris, when she had refused to give him her promise and had told him to wait, and he was still ready to come at her call; loving her, watching

emanded an answer-Yes or No-as to whether she would yield to his wishes. But his generous

crib watching the child's breathing. Seizing the opportunity, one he had watched for, he had told her how much he had missed her during the two years, and how much happier his life was now that he could touch her hand and listen to her voice. She had evaded his meaning, making answer that his pleasure, was nothing compared to her own when she thought how safe the baby

m, speaking to him with downcast eyes and without the frank look in her face which was always his welcome. On this day she was more unstrung and more desolate than he had

ld me you loved me

ter a moment she had slowly withdrawn her hand and had repl

k many more questions. Don't talk to me about it. Not now, John-not now! Don't hate me

nce the lawful right to protect her, but she had shrunk back, the palms of her hands held out as barriers, and before

e were other times-and their sum was in the ascendency-when she showed the same confidence in his judgement and the same readiness to take his advice; when the old light

s mind as he sat to-night in his study chair, the lamplight f

hrinking from him the next. Baffled for the hundredth time in this mental search, he dropped again into his chair, and adjusting the lamp, pulled his books toward him to devote his mind to their contents. As the light flared up

t Holt sto

s forehead. His weather-beaten face, as the light fell upon it, looked cracked and dr

ot somethin' to talk to ye about," and he strode into the room. "Alone, are ye?" he continued,

e open door leading to the salon and grasping the captai

to see nobody but you. She can't hear,

n seemed to be laboring under a nervous strain

ed into a corner of the sofa, and sat looking at the doc

rybody," as he spoke he reached into his pocke

ourse, don't ye, who left home

ctor n

he's

, repeating his name in the surprise o

goin' up into the mines to work, so the consul wrote me. He was in once after that and got a little money, and then he got down with yellow fever and they to

turned them toward the lamp. The envelope was stamped "Rio Jan

oor boy! it's too bad. Perhaps, however, there may be some mistake, after all. Fore

of the ship, and he watched for her and sent for him all right. I was pretty nigh crazy that night he left, and handled him, maybe, rougher'n I ou'ter, but I couldn't help it. There's some things I can't stand, an

tain's knee. "I'm very, very sorry, captain, for you

d! All this would have broken her heart." For a moment the two men were silent, then t

told him so-not till he acted fair and square, like

and been a comfort to you. I didn't know him as well as I might, and only as I met him at Yardley, but he must have had a great many fine qualities or the

e time to say it to her. I was up there last week to see the baby, and she looked thinner and paler than I ever see her. I didn't know what to do, so I says to myself, 'There's Doctor John, he's at her house reg'lar and knows the ins and outs of her, and I'll go and tell him 'bout it and ask his advice.' I'd rather cut my hand off than hurt her, for if there's an ange

riously. His words convey no meaning to him. For an instant he tho

oath! W

chie and

e taken

't your habit; it ain

t ab

ion's face. The doctor's back was toward the lamp, throwing his f

hat's goin' on up at Yardley? You do, of cours

what has your son Ba

Ain't Jane Cobden

ng straight at the captain. Had the old sailor struck

!" he crie

else is it? You

blow. With the appalling news there rang in his ears the tones of his mother's vo

sed his head and aske

o Paris after

, and has been there ever since. I told you that before.

d with eyes biasing and fists tight

nd tell me that Miss Jane Co

t, his open hands held up to the

No! Are you crazy? Sit d

then?

got! Ask Miss Jane, she'll tell ye. Tell ye how she sits and eats her heart out to save her sister that's too scared to come home. I want to cut my tongue out for tellin' ye, but I thoug

nswered the doctor f