snapped. But the
toy man had grown--somehow--into a real man whom she did not want to
let go, and she knew that, as he had said, he had got far away from
her. She could not understand; still she had not the key. And she was
afraid.

"David! What is it I feel about you? You don't think--oh, you can't
think--I don't love you?"

"I suppose you think you do. But it's not much of a love." A clock
struck. He had forgotten his train. "Let me know if you want to come.
I've got to go now."

He caught up the boy and held him close, then kissed her hastily. And
before she quite realized it, he was gone.

Aunt Clara found her standing where he had left her, staring blankly at
the door, unmindful of the little David tugging at her dress.

"Aunt Clara! What is it? What has happened? David has been talking
about--about my never going back--"

Aunt Clara made a good guess as to what had been said. And she had
been doing some more thinking of her own.

"Between us we've nearly lost you a husband. That's what _has_
happened. And you're going to pack up and pack off to win him back,
for his sake if not your own. That's what is going to happen."

"Win him back!" Shirley's world was fast sinking from under her feet.
"Is--is that what Mrs. Jim has been hinting in her letters? Do you
mean--you think David has stopped--_loving_ me?"

"You think it incredible?"

"But he's my _husband_."

"What's that got to do with it? Oh," cried Aunt Clara, "can't you get
it into your silly, selfish little head that you can't keep a love
without earning it? You've been a fool. And I've been another. I
never was so foolish in my life. I wonder your late Uncle John doesn't
turn over in his grave. Come, Davy, it's most nine o'clock. To bed
with you and leave your mother to think for once in her life."

CHAPTER XI

THE WITCH LAUGHS

David was at his desk early the next day, working closely in the effort
to shut out his own problems; it was not a very successful effort. All
morning he avoided Esther strictly; that was much easier. She was
avoiding him, too, but he did not guess that.

During the noon hour he had a caller; Dick Holden, if you please, a
Dick who was plainly perturbed.

"Davy," quoth he, "have I done you some favors?"

"You have," said David.

"One good turn deserves another. It has to do with St. Mark's.
Something queer's stirring there. My wires won't work. You're pretty
thick with Jim B