He watched her with a slow, questioning look.
He got up slowly.
"I—I'm too old to love anybody!" The words came softly to him—with a half sob. "I'm just ashamed of it!"
She was sitting facing the desk and her shoulders lifted with the little sobbing breaths she tried to control.
Dr. Carmon came over and stood beside her and laid his hand on her shoulder and stood quiet a minute.
"I need you, Jane!" he said at last. "I can't tell you how I need you!"
She turned and looked up at him then, her face quivering in little lights. "Well—I guess it's all right—the way I feel! It's the way the Lord made me, anyhow! I don't want to be this way!" She brushed her hand across her eyes and smiled at him a little tremulously.
He was looking down—his face almost grave in its quiet happiness.... "I don't quite believe it, Jane—that you are coming to live with me——"
"But I'm not!" She got up quickly.