ss were the very
flavor of her son's ingratitude.

A sudden gasp and twist of her body told Nan that the old woman was
again seized with a spasm. The neighbor woman took swift control, and
waved out Peter and old Mr. Renfrew, while she and the doctor aided the
huge negress.

The two evicted men went into Peter's room and shut the door. Peter,
unnerved, groped, and presently found and lighted a lamp. He put it down
on his little table among his primary papers and examination papers. He
indicated to Captain Renfrew the single chair in the room.

But the old gentleman stood motionless in the mean room, with its head-
line streaked walls. Sounds of the heavy lifting of Peter's mother came
through the thin door and partition with painful clearness. Peter opened
his own small window, for the air in his room was foul.

Captain Renfrew stood in silence, with a remote sarcasm in his wrinkled
eyes. What was in his heart, why he had subjected himself to the
noisomeness of failing flesh, Peter had not the faintest idea. Once, out
of studently habit, he glanced at Peter's philosophic books, but
apparently he read the titles without really observing them. Once he
looked at Peter.

"Peter," he said colorlessly, "I hope you'll be careful of Caroline's
feelings if she ever gets up again. She has been very faithful to you,
Peter."

Peter's eyes dampened. A great desire mounted in him to explain himself
to this strange old gentleman, to show him how inevitable had been the
breach. For some reason a veritable passion to reveal his heart to this
his sole benefactor surged through the youth.

"Mr. Renfrew," he stammered, "Mr. Renfrew--I--I--" His throat abruptly
ached and choked. He felt his face distort in a spasm of uncontrollable
grief. He turned quickly from this strange old man with a remote sarcasm
in his eyes and a remote affection in his tones. Peter clenched his
jaws, his nostrils spread in his effort stoically to bottle up his grief
and remorse, like a white man; in an effort to keep from howling his
agony aloud, like a negro. He stood with aching throat and blurred eyes,
trembling, swallowing, and silent.

Presently Nan Berry opened the door. She held a half-burned paper in her
hand; Dr. Jallup stood near the bed, portioning out some calomel and
quinine. The prevalent disease in Hooker's Bend is malaria; Dr. Jallup
always physicked for malaria. On this occasion he diagnosed it must be a
very severe attack of malaria inde