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FLAMING

YOUTH

know perfectly well. Doctors do those things, don’t they?” “Oh, certainly! By all means. It’s the backbone and mainstay of the profession.” “Now you’re being sarcastic. And it’s terribly serious.” “You go back to Dee and tell her not to be a damned fool. She ought to be ashamed of herself for sending you on such anerrand. I don’t understand it in Dee.” “Liar yourself, Bobs. She didn’t send me. I came. And”—a little breathlessly —“if you don’t do it for her somebody else will.” “Somebody else? Who?” “I don’t know yet. One of these people in here.” She produced the newspaper page which she had extracted from Dee. Osterhout swore vividly and voluminously. “Just what — X said! Leaving such filth about where girls can pick it up.” He rose, shuffled over to Pat, took her chin between finger and thumb and peered down into her limpid, troubled eyes. ‘‘What’s behind all this foolishness?” came the stern question. “Oh, Bobs! Be good and help us. She can’t have © the baby. Truly she can’t. I mustn’t tell you why, but you’d say so, too, if you knew.” His face darkened. ‘“What’s this? Isn’t it James’s

child?” Pat was virtuously indignant,.notwithstanding that she had put a like query herself a few moments earlier. “Of course it is!” “Then it’s probably the very best thing that could happen to her.” “Won’t

tell you

~.

you believe me, Bobs,” Pat implored, “when ] |

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