the hair over his ears was almost white. And yet,
he was just thirty. That was Palmer Howe's age, and Palmer seemed like a
boy. But he held himself more erect than he had in the first days of his
occupancy of the second-floor front.

"And now," he said cheerfully, "what about yourself? You've lost a lot
of illusions, of course, but perhaps you've gained ideals. That's a
step."

"Life," observed Sidney, with the wisdom of two weeks out in the world,
"life is a terrible thing, K. We think we've got it, and--it's got us."

"Undoubtedly."

"When I think of how simple I used to think it all was! One grew up and
got married, and--and perhaps had children. And when one got very
old, one died. Lately, I've been seeing that life really consists of
exceptions--children who don't grow up, and grown-ups who die before
they are old. And"--this took an effort, but she looked at him
squarely--"and people who have children, but are not married. It all
rather hurts."

"All knowledge that is worth while hurts in the getting."

Sidney got up and wandered around the room, touching its little familiar
objects with tender hands. K. watched her. There was this curious
element in his love for her, that when he was with her it took on the
guise of friendship and deceived even himself. It was only in the lonely
hours that it took on truth, became a hopeless yearning for the touch of
her hand or a glance from her clear eyes.

Sidney, having picked up the minister's picture, replaced it absently,
so that Eve stood revealed in all her pre-apple innocence.

"There is something else," she said absently. "I cannot talk it over
with mother. There is a girl in the ward--"

"A patient?"

"Yes. She is quite pretty. She has had typhoid, but she is a little
better. She's--not a good person."

"I see."

"At first I couldn't bear to go near her. I shivered when I had to
straighten her bed. I--I'm being very frank, but I've got to talk this
out with someone. I worried a lot about it, because, although at first I
hated her, now I don't. I rather like her."

She looked at K. defiantly, but there was no disapproval in his eyes.

"Yes."

"Well, this is the question. She's getting better. She'll be able to
go out soon. Don't you think something ought to be done to keep her
from--going back?"

There was a shadow in K.'s eyes now. She was so young to face all this;
and yet, since face it she must, how much better to have her do it
squarely.

"