nd to the farm."

"Shouldn't he have stayed and faced it?" asked Kate.

"There was nothing for him to face, except himself, Kate," said the
doctor.

Kate shook her head. She looked ghastly ill.

"Doctor," she said, "couldn't you have let me die?"

"And left your son and your little daughter to them?" he asked. "No,
Kate, I couldn't have let you die; because you've your work in the
world under your hand right now."

He said that because when he said "left your son and your little
daughter to them," Kate had reached over and laid her hand
possessively, defensively, on the little, squirming bundle, which was
all Dr. James asked of her. Presently she looked the doctor straight
in the face. "Exactly what do you know?" she asked.

"Everything," said the doctor. "And you?"

"Everything," said Kate.

There was a long silence. Then Kate spoke slowly: "That George didn't
know that he shouldn't have touched that man, proves him completely
incompetent," she said. "That he did, and didn't have the courage to
face the results, proves him lacking in principle. He's not fit for
either work to which he aspires."

"You are talking too much," said the doctor. "Nurse Nepple is in
charge here, and Aunt Ollie. George's mother went to the farm to cook
for him. You're in the hands of two fine women, who will make you
comfortable. You have escaped lasting disgrace with your skirts clear,
now rest and be thankful."

"I can't rest until I know one thing," said Kate. "You're not going to
allow George to kill any one else?"

"No," said the doctor. "I regretted telling him very much; but I had
to tell him THAT could not happen."

"And about the school?" she asked. "I half thought he might get it."

"He WON'T!" said the doctor. "I'm in a position to know that. Now try
to take some rest."

Kate waved toward the babies: "Will you please take them away until
they need me?" she asked.

"Of course," said the doctor. "But don't you want to see them, Kate?
There isn't a mark or blemish on either of them. The boy weighs seven
pounds and the girl six; they seem as perfect as children can be."

"You needn't worry about that," said Kate. "Twins are a Bates habit.
My mother had three pairs, always a boy and a girl, always big and
sound as any children; mine will be all right, too."

The doctor started to turn back the blanket. Kate turned her head
away: "Don't you think I have had about enough at present?" she asked.