that Clemency--Mrs. Ewing has relatives in the West, and--"

James felt somewhat bewildered. He could not quite see what Gordon
meant, but he took another sip of the golden, fragrant compound before
him, and again remarked upon its excellence.

"That makes me think," said Gordon, evidently glad himself to turn the
conversation. "A sip of this will do poor little Clemency good. You say
she is in the parlor."

"Yes."

Gordon opened the door and called Clemency, who came with a little
reluctance. The girl was afraid of her uncle's eyes. She sidled into the
office like a child who had done something wrong. She took her little
glass of punch, and never looked at James or her uncle. James, too, did
not look at her. He smoked, and almost turned his back upon her. Doctor
Gordon looked from one to the other, and his face changed. Clemency
slipped out as soon as she could, saying that she was tired. Then
Gordon turned abruptly upon James. "There is something between you two,
Clemency and you," he said in a brusque voice.

James colored and hesitated.

"Out with it," said Gordon peremptorily.

"Clemency wished--" began James.

"Wished you to keep it secret, of course. Well, she told me herself,
poor little soul, the moment she came into the room."

James sat still. He did not know what to do. Finally he said in a
stammering voice that he hoped there would be no objection.

"No objection certainly on my part or Mrs. Ewing, if Clemency has taken
a fancy to you," replied Doctor Gordon. "But--" he hesitated a moment.
"It is only fair to tell you that you yourself may later on entertain
some very reasonable objection," Gordon said grimly.

"It is impossible," James cried eagerly. "I have known her only a few
weeks, but I feel as if it were a lifetime. Nothing can change me. And
as for money, if you mean anything of that kind, I don't care if she
hasn't a cent. I have my profession, and my father is well-to-do. Then,
besides, I have a little that an aunt, my mother's sister, left me. I
can support Clemency."

"It is not that," Gordon said. "Clemency has--at least I think I can
secure it to her--a little fortune of her own, and she will have
something besides. I was not thinking of money at all."

"Then there can be nothing," James said positively. His sense of
embarrassment had passed. He beamed at the older man.

"There can be something else. There is something else," Gordon said
gloomily. "I don't know but I ought to