I went into Archer's Springs, I hadn't the slightest intention of
ever coming back here. But lying there on the flat of my back, I came to
the conclusion that the one way to help Charley endure what's happened
would be to have it make a man of me. Then perhaps in the years to come,
she would grow to think of Felicia as if she were thinking of the
ordinary death of a lovely little child and not with the hell of remorse
she's having now. As for me, I'll always have that remorse. That's
common justice. But there's no reason why Charley should have it.

"I guess that's about all, except this. For two weeks I've gone over
every afternoon to the saloon and sat there for two or three hours. And
the sight and smell of the booze for the first time in my life made me
want to vomit."

Dick paused again, trembling visibly and staring at Charley.

"I'm sorry, Dick," she said, her lips stiff, yet quivering. "I'm going
to try to care for you again. But I don't know whether I can or not.
Every night when I go to bed I see first your face that night all red
and bloated and distorted, then Felicia's, the way Roger and I found
her. I--I've got lots to forget, Dick."

"God knows you have, Charley. But you're going to give me one more
trial, aren't you? Please, Charley!"

"Try if you want to, Dick. I don't seem to care, one way or the other."

Dick's head dropped to his chest. With a little inarticulate cry, Elsa
ran across the room and pulling Dick's head over to rest on her soft
breast, she kissed him on the forehead.

"I care, Dicky!" she cried. "I care! It's my whole life whether you make
good or not."

Dick lifted his agonized face and stared into Elsa's tear wet eyes. A
slow, twisted smile touched his lips.

"Oh, Elsa! Oh, Elsa!" he breathed. "I think you've saved my soul alive!"
He turned his face against her and Elsa, clasping the gray-touched head
to her, looked at the others fiercely.

"Now, who hurts Dick, hurts me!"

Roger dropped his hand on Charley's shoulder. "Then look to it that he
never hurts Charley again," he said sternly.

There was a silence, broken by Gustav, who came into the kitchen with
the milk pail.

"Elsa, make me the pans ready!" he called.

"Coming, Gustav," answered Elsa in her normal voice. "The rest of you
sit down to supper. Gustav and I won't be a minute."

"Better wash up, Roger," said Charley. "Dick, your room is ready for
you!" and she disappeared into her own bedroom.

When they fi