d good--she ran away and
left us. We don't blame her, Hosy and I. We understand just how she
feels and we've made up our minds to do as she asks and not try to
follow her or try to bring her back to us against her will. We think
the world of her. We haven't known her but a little while, but we've
come--that is," with a sudden glance in my direction, "I've come to love
her as if she was my own. It pretty nigh kills me to have her go. When
I think of her strugglin' along tryin' to earn her own way by singin'
and--and all, I have to hold myself by main strength to keep from goin'
after her and beggin' her on my knees to come back. But I sha'n't do it,
because she doesn't want me to. Of course I hope and believe that some
day she will come back, but until she does and of her own accord, I'm
goin' to wait. And, if your son really cares for her as much as we--as I
do, he'll wait, too."

She paused and hastily dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief.
I turned in order that the Doctor might not see my face. It was an
unnecessary precaution. Doctor Bayliss' mind was busy, apparently, with
but one thought.

"An opera singer!" he exclaimed, under his breath. "An opera singer!
Herbert to marry an opera singer! The granddaughter of a Yankee sailor
and--and--"

"And the daughter of an English thief," put in Hephzy, sharply. "Maybe
we'd better leave nationalities out, Doctor Bayliss. The Yankees have
the best end of it, 'cordin' to my notion."

He paid no attention to this.

He was greatly upset. "It is impossible!" he declared. "Absolutely
impossible! Why haven't we known of this before? Why did not Herbert
know of it? Mr. Knowles, I must say that--that you have been most
unthinking in this matter."

"I have been thinking of her," I answered, curtly. "It was and is her
secret and we rely upon you to keep it as such. We trust to your honor
to tell no one, not even your son."

"My son! Herbert? Why I must tell him! I must tell my wife."

"You may tell your wife. And your son as much as you think necessary.
Further than that it must not go."

"Of course, of course. I understand. But an opera singer!"

"She isn't a real opera singer," said Hephzy. "That is, not one of those
great ones. And she told me once that she realized now that she never
could be. She has a real sweet voice, a beautiful voice, but it isn't
powerful enough to make her a place in the big companies. She tried and
tried, she said, but all the managers said