he chimney, and out to dinner, and forget what Day it is!"

Eleanor's sudden pallor made her stop midway in her torrent of
frankness; it was then she said, again, really alarmed: "See a doctor!
You know," she added, jocosely; "if you die, he'll marry Edith; and you
wouldn't like that!"

"No," Eleanor said, faintly, "I wouldn't like that."

CHAPTER XXV

When a rather shaky Jacky was discharged from the hospital, Lily
notified Maurice of his recovery and added that she had moved.

I couldn't [Lily wrote] go back to that woman who turned me out when
Jacky was sick: so I got me a little house on Maple Street--way down at
the far end from where I was before, so you needn't worry about anybody
seeing me. My rent's higher, but there's a swell church on the next
street. I meant to move, anyway, because I found out that there was a
regular huzzy living in the next house on Ash Street, painted to beat
the band! And I don't want Jacky to see that kind. I've got five
mealers. But eggs is something fierce. I am writing these few lines to
say Jacky's well, and I hope they find you in good health. It was real
nice in you to fix that up at the hospital for me. I hope you'll come
and see us one of these days.

Your friend,

LILY.

P.S.--Of course I'm sorry for her poor old father.

Reading this, Maurice said to himself that it would be decent to go and
see Lily; which meant, though he didn't know it, that he wanted to see
Jacky. He wasn't aware of anything in the remotest degree like affection
for the child; he just had this inarticulate purpose of seeing him,
which took the form of saying that it would be "decent" to inquire about
him. However, he did not yield to this formless wish until June. Then,
on that very afternoon when Mrs. Newbolt had been so shatteringly frank
to Eleanor, he walked down to the "far end of Maple Street." And as he
walked, he suddenly remembered that it was "The Day"! "Great Scott! I
forgot it!" he thought. "Funny, Eleanor didn't remind me. Maybe she's
forgotten, too?" But he frowned at the bad taste of such an errand on
such a day, and would have turned back--but at that moment he saw what
(with an eagerness of which he was not conscious!) he had been looking
for--a tow-headed boy, who, pulling a reluctant dog along by a string
tied around his neck, was following a hand organ. And Maurice forgot his
wedding anniversary!

He freed the half-choked puppy, and told his son what he thought. But