Page:Mr. Wu (IA mrwumilnlouisejo00milniala).pdf/305

 He turned back to her quickly. "How do you know, Mother? Are you dead sure?"

"I saw him die," she said.

At that her boy came and knelt down and took her hands in his.

And she told him—just the bare facts of yesterday.

Nang Ping, or his own fault, was not mentioned between them, then or ever. Florence Gregory uttered no reproach. She said none, and she tried to look none. It is so that such women most reproach the men that they have borne—and nursed.

She asked no details of his amour or of his capture and detention; and he offered none.

And it was better so. The burden of their common memory was heavy enough—a memory from which nothing could ever purge her soul or his.

"What will happen—about it all? He was a devil of a big man among the Chinks," Basil said anxiously when he spoke again.

"Yes, I know. What will happen? By the Chinese, you mean? Ah Wong thinks nothing"

"Ah Wong!" Basil said contemptuously.

"She saved my life—and yours"

"By a Chinese trick."

"It served," Mrs. Gregory said gravely. "Ah Wong knows her people. And she thinks nothing will be done—soon, if ever. And we will leave China at once. I think your father'll be glad to—he's been anxious enough to get back to float the new Company. But, if for any reason he wishes to wait even a little, why, I must get Hilda to coax him to go at once. You, at least, must go by the next boat."

Basil nodded. "Yes, I'd like to catch the next comfortable boat."