"Failing me, will you employ some other person to act as your envoy to Mrs. Turner?"
"I shall employ no other, for the reason that there is no other whose counsel would be likely to influence her. And for another reason--I have disclosed to you what I will disclose to no other person."
"Would you leave her as she is?"
"I would leave her as she is. Early in the morning I should take my departure, and she would have to face the future unaided by me."
"If she will not listen to me, if she will not make the sacrifice, you will surely give her out of your abundance some little assistance to help her along?"
"Out of my abundance," replied Mr. Gordon, sternly, "I will give her nothing--not the smallest coin. Make your mind easy upon one point, Dr. Spenlove. So far as a practical man like myself is likely to go, I will do what I can to make her happy if she affords me the opportunity. She will live in a respectable atmosphere, she will be surrounded by respectable people, she will have all the comforts that money can purchase, and I shall never utter to her a word of reproach. Her past will be as dead to me as if it had never been."
Dr. Spenlove rose. "It is your desire that I shall go to her to-night?"
"It is. The matter must be settled without delay."
"If she asks for time to reflect----"
"I must have an answer to-night, yea or nay."