ke her into the
country somewhere and--"

"Oh, DO be sensible! Do you realize what that would mean? We should have
to give up our trip, stop sightseeing, stop everything we had planned to
do, and turn ourselves into nurses running a sanitarium for the benefit
of a girl whose father's rascality made your father a pauper. And, not
only do this, but be treated by her as if--as if--"

"There, there, Hosy! I know what it will mean. I know what it would mean
to you and I don't mean for you to do it. You've done enough and more
than enough. But with me it's different. _I_ could do it."

"You?"

"Yes. I've got some money of my own. I could find a nice, cheap, quiet
boardin'-house in the country round here somewhere and she and I could
go there and stay until she got well. You needn't go at all; you could
go off travelin' by yourself and--"

"Hephzy, what are you talking about?"

"I mean it. I've thought it all out, Hosy. Ever since Ardelia and I
had that last talk together and she whispered to me that--that--well,
especially ever since I knew there was a Little Frank I've been thinkin'
and plannin' about that Little Frank; you know I have. He--she isn't
the kind of Little Frank I expected, but she's, my sister's baby and
I can't--I CAN'T, turn her away to be sick and die. I can't do it. I
shouldn't dare face Ardelia in--on the other side if I did. No, I
guess it's my duty and I'm goin' to go on with it. But with you it's
different. She isn't any real relation to you. You've done enough--and
more than enough--as it is."

This was the climax. Of course I might have expected it, but of course
I didn't. As soon as I recovered, or partially recovered, from my
stupefaction I expostulated and scolded and argued. Hephzy was quiet but
firm. She hated to part from me--she couldn't bear to think of it; but
on the other hand she couldn't abandon her Ardelia's little girl. The
interview ended by my walking out of the room and out of Bancroft's in
disgust.

I did not return until late in the afternoon. I was in better humor
then. Hephzy was still in the sitting-room; she looked as if she had
been crying.

"Hosy," she said, as I entered, "I--I hope you don't think I'm too
ungrateful. I'm not. Really I'm not. And I care as much for you as if
you was my own boy. I can't leave you; I sha'n't. If you say for us
to--"

I interrupted.

"Hephzy," I said, "I shan't say anything. I know perfectly well that you
couldn't leave me any mor