parent remoteness from the subject they had dropped: "Jeff, I don't
know whether you want me to talk about it. But I guess I ought to, even
if it isn't my place exactly. I don't think Jackson's very well, this
summer."

Jeff faced round toward her. "What makes you think he isn't well?"

"He's weaker. Haven't you noticed it?"

"Yes, I have noticed that. He's worked down; that's all."

"No, that isn't all. But if you don't think so--"

"I want to know what you think, Cynthy," said Jeff, with the amorous
resentment all gone from his voice. "Sometimes folks outside notice the
signs more--I don't mean that you're an outsider, as far as we're
concerned--"

She put by that point. "Father's noticed it, too; and he's with Jackson a
good deal."

"I'll look after it. If he isn't so well, he's got to have a doctor. That
medium's stuff can't do him any good. Don't you think he ought to have a
doctor?"

"Oh yes."

"You don't think a doctor can do him much good?"

"He ought to have one," said the girl, noncommittally.

"Cynthia, I've noticed that Jackson was weak, too; and it's no use
pretending that he's simply worked down. I believe he's worn out. Do you
think mother's ever noticed it?"

"I don't believe she has."

"It's the one thing I can't very well make up my mind to speak to her
about. I don't know what she would do." He did not say, "If she lost
Jackson," but Cynthia knew he meant that, and they were both silent. "Of
course," he went on, "I know that she places a great deal of dependence
upon you, but Jackson's her main stay. He's a good man, and he's a good
son. I wish I'd always been half as good."

Cynthia did not protest against his self-reproach as he possibly hoped
she would. She said: "I think Jackson's got a very good mind. He reads a
great deal, and he's thought a great deal, and when it comes to talking,
I never heard any one express themselves better. The other night, we were
out looking at the stars--I came part of the way home with him; I didn't
like to let him go alone, he seemed so feeble and he got to showing me
Mars. He thinks it's inhabited, and he's read all that the astronomers
say about it, and the seas and the canals that they've found on it. He
spoke very beautifully about the other life, and then he spoke about
death." Cynthia's voice broke, and she pulled her handkerchief out of her
belt, and put it to her eyes. Jeff's heart melted in him at the sight; he
felt a tender affection for h