this Jonathan!

But it was a knowledge that he could not give them. They must win it, if
at all, for themselves.

In the morning the doctor came again, inspected the wound, discovered no
evidence of infection and was mightily pleased with himself.

"Don't look so sad," he adjured David. "You got off lucky. If that
knife--"

"I suppose so," David said querulously. "If you've finished, would you
mind going? I'd like to sleep some more."

The doctor nodded comprehendingly. "Pretty weak yet," he confided to the
nurse in a whisper. "Lost quite a bit of blood before I could get to
him. Must humor him."

David closed his eyes. Not, however, to sleep. Rather to listen to his
tempter, who had returned to stand guard, to keep the victory it had won.
But the imp's words were less plausible this morning, a certain sly
malice had crept into his voice. David remembered shrinkingly the
resolve he had taken.

"It's because I am weak." He tried to stiffen himself. "I have a right
to be happy. Why should two be made to suffer for one who wouldn't
care?" He repeated that over and over to himself and almost achieved
belief.

The nurse came to his bedside. "I'm going out for my walk now. Ring
this bell if you want anything, and one of the maids will come."

He nodded and she left. A minute later he heard other steps coming into
the room.

"David--David!" said a voice over him. A compassionate voice that was
near to breaking.

He opened his eyes and, not easily, met Jonathan's. "I'm making a good
deal of trouble. You should have let them take me to the hospital."

"Hush, David! I wanted you to come here. Is the wound very painful?"

"I've had toothaches that were worse."

"It's like you to make light of it."

"It isn't like me to make light of it. You've seen me and ought to know
that. It's more like me to whine."

"But it's serious." Jonathan shook his head gravely. "The doctor says,
if the knife had gone an eighth of an inch deeper--"

"They always say that, don't they? It didn't go an eighth of an inch
deeper."

"But it might have," Jonathan insisted. "David, why did you do it? Did
you think a little money was worth such a risk?"

David frowned petulantly. "I'm no hero. I didn't mean to take any
risks. I just blundered in and was too stupid to get out. So I got
hurt. It's a habit of mine."

"Ah!" Jonathan understood the allusion. "David, can you forgive me?
Yesterday I was t