“No, I am not going away,” he said, firmly, and yet with that same old gentleness in his voice. “If I go you will die. So I am going to stay.”
She stared at him, speechless.
“You— you can’t,” she gasped, at last. “Don’t you see— don’t you understand? I’m a woman— and you can’t. You must take her— my baby— and go for help.”
“There is no help,” said MacVeigh, quietly. “Within a few hours you will be helpless. I am going to stay and— and— I swear to God I will care for you— as he— would have done. He made me promise that— to care for you— to stick by you—”
She looked straight into his eyes. He saw the twitching of her throat, the quiver of her lips. In another moment she would have fallen if he had not put a supporting arm about her.
“If— anything— happens,” she gasped, brokenly, “you will take care— of her— my baby—”
“Yes— always.”
“And if I— get well—”
Her head swayed dizzily and dropped to his breast.
“If I get— well—”