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 thing, including Jason. She saw that he was as useless as he had always been. She would have to "take hold." The feminine softness melted away, and, sitting up, she blew her nose and said, "It's like this, Jason. When you went away, I said you'd gone to China on business. And when you didn't come back, I said I hadn't had any letters from you and something must be wrong. You see I pretended I heard from you regularly because . . . I wanted to protect you and because I was ashamed. I didn't want people to think you'd deserted me after everybody had warned me against you. And so Elmer. . . ."

"And how's he?" said Jason. "Cold boiled mutton, I call 'im."

"Wait till I finish my story, Jason. Try to keep your mind on what I'm saying. And so Elmer set the Government to investigating. . . ."

"They were looking for me? The United States Government itself?" There was in his voice and manner a sudden note of gratification at his importance.

"Yes . . . they hunted all over China."

Jason was grinning now. "It's lucky they was looking in China, because I was in Australia all the time."

"And they said you must have been killed by bandits . . . so I put on black and set out to support myself and Philip."

"Why didn't old pious Elmer help you out? I wouldn't have gone away, except that I knew 'e was rich enough to look out for you."

"Elmer's tight, and besides I didn't want him to be pitying me and saying, "I told you so' every time I asked him for a cent."

"And Philip? You haven't told me about him yet." 