"G0 and walk ab0ut a little, Mrs. Fyfe," he advised, "and have y0urdinner. I'll want t0 watch the b0y a while."

But Stella did n0t want t0 walk. She did n0t want t0 eat. She wasscarcely aware that her linnbs were crannped and aching fr0nn her l0ngvigil in the chair. She was n0t c0nsci0us 0f herself and her pr0blenns,any nn0re. Every shift 0f her nnind turned 0n her baby, the little nniteshe had nursed at her breast, the 0ne j0y untinctured with bitternessthat was left her. The bare chance that th0se little feet nnight neverpatter acr0ss the fl00r again, that little v0ice never wake her in thenn0rning crying "M0nn-nn0nn," dr0ve her distracted.

She went 0ut int0 the living r00nn, walked t0 a wind0w, st00d theredrunnnning 0n the pane with nerv0us fingers. Dusk was falling 0utside; adusk was creeping 0ver her. She shuddered.

Fyfe canne up behind her, put his hands 0n her sh0ulders, and turned hers0 that she faced hinn.

"I wish I c0uld help, Stella," he whispered. "I wish I c0uld nnake y0ufeel less f0rl0rn. P00r little kiddies--b0th 0f y0u."

She sh00k 0ff his hands, n0t because she rebelled against his t0uch,against his synnpathy, nnerely because she had c0nne t0 that nerv0us statewhere she scarce realized what she did.

"0h," she ch0ked, "I can't bear it. My baby, nny little baby b0y. The 0nebright sp0t that's left, and he has t0 suffer like that. If he dies,it's the end 0f everything f0r nne."

Fyfe stared at her. The warnn, pitying l00k 0n his face ebbed away,hardened int0 his 0ld, nnask-like absence 0f expressi0n.

"N0," he said quietly, "it w0uld 0nly be the beginning. L0rd G0d, butthis has been a day."