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 an amused little bow opened the door into the hallway and smiled at her as she passed through.

"Won't you have some breakfast?" repeated Derek, feeling that by eating, the evil moment might be delayed.

"Thank you, no. I had breakfast at Hickson's. I went there early to give the Communion to old Mr. Hickson who is dangerously ill. And afterwards I had my breakfast." Derek saw then that he carried a small black bag.

Mr. Ramsey stared at the remains of the breakfast in silence for a moment, then he turned his deep-set grey eyes on Derek's face with a look of intense scrutiny. "So that is the girl," he said with a new harsh note in his voice.

"What do you mean by calling her 'the girl,' as though I had done something tremendous and irrevocable?" demanded Derek resentfully.

"Well, haven't you?" returned Mr. Ramsey, on a deep note. "It is rather tremendous, isn't it, to bring a young girl into your house under such circumstances? Rather irrevocable to bring a son into the world?"

Derek strode up and down the room, and at last paused before the china greyhound on the chimney-piece, and looked into its immobile face. "Such things have been done before," he said.

"Not often. Can you recall a case among your acquaintances? And never without consequences."

"Look here," interrupted Derek. "Did you come here as a friend, or not?"

"Absolutely as a friend." Mr. Ramsey came and stood beside him. "A friend above all things. Not to rebuke nor to give advice, but to help, if possible."

"Well, sir," said Derek, looking at him steadily, "Put yourself in my place."

Mr. Ramsey flushed a little. "Yes," he said drily.