"To incarcerate him!"
"Yes. In an asylum. Some state institution. He has been training the boy toward that end. You have seen it. I have seen it. What is his motive? That is the question."
"Don't you think it may be merely to rid himself of a burden which hampers his life?"
"But his own flesh and blood!" exclaimed Mrs. Lowell. "Does any one live who would go to such lengths without a greater reason? Miss Wilbur, let us see what the man does in these daily rambles of his. I am convinced that his artistic pose is a cloak. He didn't even know who Frederic Waugh was."
"Oh, but to accompany the creature!" protested Diana.
"No, of course, we shouldn't find out anything by accompanying him except that he cannot sketch, and I'm sure of that already. But let us go to walk this morning, and why not visit the haunted farm?"
"No reason except that he knows we are aware that he haunts the place, which, if I were a ghost, would make it immune from my visits."
"Yes, but he cannot expect us to remember or care where he goes. I feel I must be doing something about this, no matter how slight, and—and don't let Miss Emerson join us as we go out."
"Perish the thought!" said Diana devoutly.