"Of what curious stuff we're made!" he exclaimed, pressing his forehead as if to clear the brain of its horrible fancy. He paused in the lower hall and watched for a moment a scene between father and daughter through the open door of the library.
Harriet had just bounded into the room and stood beside the doctor's chair with an arm around his neck and the other hand gently smoothing his soft gray hair. She was crooning over his tired figure with the quaintest little mother touches.
"You look so worn out, Papa dear—what have you been doing?"
"Something very foolish, I'm afraid, Baby—I've just refused a fortune that might have been yours someday."
"Why did you refuse it?"
"Because I didn't believe it was clean and honest."
"Then I shouldn't want it. I'd rather be poor."
The doctor placed both hands on the fair young face, drew it very close and whispered:
"Had you, dearie?"
"Why, of course I had!"