tor and his friend
McClintock entered the office of the Victoria.

"It's a great world," was the manager's greeting.

"So it is," the doctor agreed. "But what, may I ask, arouses the
thought?"

The doctor was in high good humour. Within forty-eight hours the
girl would be on her way east and the boy see-sawing the South
China Sea, for ever moving at absolute angles.

"Then you haven't heard?"

"Of what?"

"Well, well!" cried the manager, delighted at the idea of
surprising the doctor. "Miss Enschede and Mr. Spurlock--for that's
his real name--were married at high noon."

Emptiness; that was the doctor's initial sensation: his vitals had
been whisked out of him and the earth from under his feet. All his
interest in Ruth, all his care and solicitude, could now be
translated into a single word--love. Wanted her out of the way
because he had been afraid of her, afraid of himself! He, at
fifty-four! Then into this void poured a flaming anger, a blind and
unreasoning anger. He took the first step toward the stairs, and
met the restraining hand of McClintock.

"Steady, old top! What are you going to do?"

"The damned scoundrel!"

"I told you that child was opal."

"She? My God, the pity of it! She knows nothing of life. She no
more realizes what she has done than a child of eight. Marriage!
... without the least conception of the physical and moral
responsibilities! It's a crime, Mac!"

"But what can you do?" McClintock turned to the manager. "'It was
all perfectly legal?

"My word for it. The Reverend Henry Dolby performed the cermony,
and his wife and daughter were witnesses."

"When you heard what was going on, why didn't you send for me?"

"I didn't know it was going on. I heard only after it was all
over."

"If he could stand on two feet, I'd break every bone in his
worthless body!"

McClintock said soothingly: "But that wouldn't nullify the
marriage, old boy. I know. Thing's upset you a bit. Go easy."

"But, Mac . . . !"

"I understand," interrupted McClintock. Then, in a whisper: "But
there's no reason why the whole hotel should."

The doctor relaxed. "I've got to see him; but I'll be reasonable.
I've got to know why. And what will they do, and where will they
go?"

"With me--the both of them. So far as I'm concerned, nothing could
please me more. A married man!--the kind I've never been able to
lure down there! But keep your temper in check. Don't lay it all to
the boy. The girl is in it