ickening for it
before he came down here." There was a pause. She wiped the boy's
forehead. "This change has come on quite suddenly," she said, in a
different voice. "Two hours ago--less than two hours ago--there was
scarcely a sign of that rash."

"What is it?"

"Charlie says it's nothing particular."

"What's Charlie gone for?"

"I don't know." She shook her head; then smiled. "Isn't it a good
thing I brought him?"

Indubitably it was. Her caprice, characterised as preposterous by
males, had been justified. Thus chance often justifies women, setting
at naught the high priests of reason.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

THREE.

Looking at the unconscious and yet tormented child, Edwin was aware of a
melting protective pity for him, of an immense desire to watch over his
rearing with all insight, sympathy, and help, so that in George's case
none of the mistakes and cruelties and misapprehensions should occur
which had occurred in his own. This feeling was intense to the point of
being painful.

"I don't know whether you know or not," he said, "but we're great pals,
the infant and I."

Hilda smiled, and in the very instant of seeing the smile its effect
upon him was such that he humiliated himself before her in secret for
ever having wildly suspected that she was jealous of the attachment.
"Do you think I don't know all about that?" she murmured. "He wouldn't
be here now if it hadn't been for that." After a silence she added:
"You're the only person that he ever has really cared for, and I can
tell you he likes you better than he likes me."

"How do you know that?"

"I know by the way he talks and looks."

"If he takes after his mother, that's no sign," Edwin retorted, without
considering what he said.

"What do you mean--`if he takes after his mother'?" She seemed puzzled.

"Could anyone tell your real preferences from the way you talked and
looked?" His audacious rashness astounded him. Nevertheless he stared
her in the eyes, and her glance fell.

"No one but you could have said a thing like that," she observed mildly,
yieldingly.

And what he had said suddenly acquired a mysterious and wise
significance and became oracular. She alone had the power of inspiring
him to be profound. He had noticed that before, years ago, and first at
their first meeting. Or was it that she saw in him an oracle, and
caused him to see with her?

Slowly her