iendship and plan his future."

"A child's friendship is easily won. If he denies it, you may be sure it
is for a natural instinct."

"Such an instinct is most unnatural. He has had nothing but friendly
words and friendly challenges from me."

She felt herself growing impatient. It was clear that he had spoken out
of interest for the child alone, and any shadowy suspicion that he
designed to declare interest in herself departed from Sabina's mind.

"Well, what's that to me? I can't alter him. I can't make him regard you
as a hero and a father to be proud of. He's not hard-hearted or anything
of that. He's pretty much like other boys of his age--more sensitive,
that's all. He can suffer very sharply and bitterly and he did when that
cruel, blundering fool at North Hill House had him whipped. He gets the
cursed power to suffer from his mother. And, such is his position in the
world, that his power to suffer no doubt will be proved to the utmost."

"I don't want him to suffer. At least it is in my reach to save him a
great deal of needless suffering."

"That's just what it isn't--not with his nature. He'd rather suffer than
be beholden to you for anything. Young as he is, he's told me so in so
many words. He knows he's different from other boys--already he knows
it--and that breeds bitterness. He's like a dog that's been ill-treated
and finds it hard to trust anybody in consequence. Unfortunately for
you, he's got brains enough to judge; and the older he grows, the harder
he'll judge."

"That's what I want to break down, Sabina. It's awfully sad to feel,
that for a prejudice against things that can't be altered, he should
stand in his own light and be a needless martyr and make me a greater
villain than I am."

"Are you a villain? If you are, it isn't my child that made you one--nor
me, either. No doubt it's awkward to see him running about and breathing
the same air with you."

He felt an impulse of anger, but easily checked it.

"You're rather hard on me, I think. It's a great deal more than awkward
to have my child take this line. It's desperately sad. And you must
know--thinking purely and only of him--that nothing can be gained and
much lost by it. You say he'll hate me more as he grows older. But isn't
that a thing to avoid? What good comes into the world with hate? Can't
you see that it's your place, Sabina, to use your influence on my side?"

"My God!" she said, "was there ever such a selfish man as you