The big hands drew the golden head closer still and pressed a kiss on the young forehead.
"My husband will love me, won't he? I shall not mind if I'm poor," she went on, laughing, as Stuart entered the room.
"See, boy, how's she's growing, this little baby of mine!" the doctor exclaimed, wheeling her about for Stuart's inspection. "It's a source of endless wonder to me, this miracle of growth—to watch this child—and see myself, a big brute of a man—growing, growing, slowly but surely into the tender glorious form of a living woman—that's God's greatest miracle! Run now, girlie, and go to bed. I want to talk to Jim."
She paused a moment, smiling into Stuart's face and softly said:
"Good-night, Jim—pleasant dreams!"
Through all the riot of emotions with which that night ended and through the years of bitter struggle which followed, that picture was the one ray of sunlight which never faded.
"Well, my boy, I've just done a thing which I know was inevitable, but now that it's done I'm afraid I may have made a tragic mistake. Tell me if it's so. There may be time to retract."
"Bivens has threatened to ruin your business?"
"On the other hand, he has just offered to buy it at my own price."
"And you refused?"