him No," he flung out defiantly. "What's the good of bothering him?
He can't do anything."

"The doctor might, you know," Mrs. Rickett ventured again, with a glance
through the window at Freddy who had been sent out to amuse himself and
was staggering with much perseverance in the wake of an elusive chicken.
"It's wonderful what they can do now-a-days to make things better."

"Don't want to be better," growled Robin.

She turned and looked at him in astonishment. "You didn't ought to say
that, my dear," she said.

Again he raised his heavy eyes to hers and something she saw in
them--something she was quite at a loss to define--went straight to
her heart.

"Robin, my dear, what's the matter?" she said. "Is there something that's
troubling you?"

Again Robin was silent for a space. His eyes fell dully to the ground
between his feet. At last, in a tone of muttered challenge, he spoke.
"Don't want it to get better. Want it to end."

"Sakes alive!" said Mrs. Rickett, shocked. "You don't know what
you're saying."

He did not contradict her or lift his eyes again, merely sat there like a
hunched baboon, his head on his chest, his monstrous body slowly rocking.

There followed a lengthy silence. Mrs. Rickett ironed and folded, ironed
and folded, with a practised hand, still keeping an eye on the small
chicken-chaser outside.

After several minutes, however, the boy's utter dejection of attitude
moved her to attempt to divert his thoughts. "I wonder when our young
lady will be coming to see us again," she said.

Robin uttered a queer sound in his throat; it was almost like the moan of
an animal in pain. He said nothing.

She gave him an uneasy glance, but still kind-heartedly she persevered in
her effort to lift him out of his depression. "She was always very
friendly-like," she said. "You liked her, didn't you Robin?"

Robin shifted his position with a sharp movement as though he winced at
some sudden dart of pain. "What should make her come back?" he said.
"She'll stay away now she's gone."

"Oh, I expect we shall be seeing her again some day," said Mrs. Rickett,
"when poor Mrs. Fielding is a bit stronger. She's busy now, but she'll
come back, you'll see."

Again almost violently Robin moved in his chair. "She won't!" he flung
out in a fierce undertone. "Tell you she won't!"

"How can you possibly know?" reasoned Mrs. Rickett.

"I do know," he said doggedly. "She won't come back,--anyhow not
till--" his