"So pitifully sad!" Esther's vivacious mood suddenly vanished. She was again grave and thoughtful.
"Aye," said Patrick, "but yez kin do it, Miss, niver yez doubt it. Yez can do it! Oi used ter go ter the saloon mesilf, but Oi'll go no more, no more. That's what yez has done fur me."
Just then Wathemah came running and leaping from Keith's saloon. In a moment he spied them, and ran full tilt towards them.
"It makes me sick at heart," Esther said in a low tone to Patrick, "whenever I think of Wathemah living longer in the saloon."
"Yez air right, Miss," answered Patrick, "but Misthress Keith is a purty dacint sort av a woman, and she has been good ter the lad."
"Yes, I realize that. But I wish I could take him myself."
By this time the child was trudging along beside his Beloved.
Lord Kelwin liked to tease him, and said in a bantering tone, "What are you always hanging on to Miss Bright's hand for, Wathemah? She don't allow the rest of her admirers to do that."
Wathemah placed his other hand over the hand he clasped.
"Me teacher mine!" he said, defiantly.