eeling for you."

"Perhaps she has had as much as I deserve. You know I have, to put it
frankly, rather broken the record of an honorable family for--"

"For what?"

"For honor, dear."

Then Anna broke out, passionately. "I don't care! I don't care!" she
cried. "I don't care what she thinks; I don't care what anybody
thinks! I don't care what you do or don't do, you are the best man
that ever lived, Arthur." She began to weep suddenly, feeling blindly
for her handkerchief.

Carroll pulled her head against his shoulder. "Dear," he whispered,
"don't; you must not, darling, you are worn out. You are not well."

"Arthur, are you sure--are you sure that you have not rendered
yourself liable? Arthur, are you sure that they cannot arrest you for
anything you have done this time?"

"Quite sure, Anna."

"You have looked out for that?"

"Yes."

"They can't arrest you?"

"No. Anna, you are nervous."

"Martin was impudent yesterday, when you were out, about his pay. He
talked about going to a lawyer."

Carroll made an impatient movement. "If he does not stop coming to
you about it--"

"He is afraid of you. Then Maria came and cried. She says she has
lost her lover, because she did not have decent clothes to wear."

"Anna, they shall not trouble you again. Don't, dear. Why, I never
knew you to fret so before!"

"I never did. I never minded it all so much before. I think I am ill.
There is a dull pain all the time in the back of my neck, and I do
not sleep at all well. Then my mental attitude seems suddenly to have
changed. I was capable of defiance always, of seeing the humor in the
situation, even if it was such an oft-repeated joke, and such a
mighty poor one; but now, even if I start with a glimpse of the funny
side of it, suddenly I collapse, and all at once I am beaten."

Carroll stroked her graceful, dark head. "There is nothing for it but
you must go, honey."

"Arthur, I will not. It may be better for the others, but as for me,
I will not."

"Yes, you will, Anna, honey."

"Arthur Carroll!"

"You must, dear. Frankly, Anna, you know how I shall feel about
parting with you all, but it will be a load off my mind. If a man is
not able to care for his own, it is better for him and for them that
they should go where they will be cared for."

"You need not speak in that way, Arthur. You have done all you could.
All this would never have been if it had not been for us, and your
wanting us to have everyt