Thus Milton Nesbit left Maple Lawn and the charmed circle it contained, and another day brought him to old familiar scenes; brought him to the home where he had loved and suffered. It was Annie who opened the door in answer to his ring. Pale-faced, with a trace of tears about the eyes, with a gasp she caught her breath as she saw and recognized the man before her. He saw the effect of his appearance upon her and a great pity welled up his heart for her. Calmly he greeted her with,
“Will you not bid me enter?”
Hesitatingly she did so; speaking never a word, only stepping back she threw open the door of the well known little parlor. Within its cool shade he took both her hands in his,
“What is it, Annie? Trust me—tell me all. I have not come to censure you but to see that you are cared for. Has that scape-grace brother of mine——”
“Don’t,” she said, “Don’t blame him. He may be faulty, but he loves me. Ah, yes, he loves me more than I deserve. I made him reckless with my foolish cravings. Every wish of mine was satisfied. I could not realize that ten thousand dollars was not a limitless fortune, and when Robert, always delicate, broke down altogether, we were almost penniless. I tried then to repay him. I nursed him and I worked for him. All the pretty things he gave me I again sold, but I am afraid I cannot retain him. He is slipping away from my grasp, and oh! I love him so, I love him so.”
Almost choking, the words broke from her in a smothered sob. Her hands went up to her face and the tears trickled down through the thin, white fingers as the sobs shook her frame. A lump rose in Milton’s throat,
“Take me to him!”
“You will say nothing harsh or unkind?”
She asked it with a fearful tremor in her voice. He took one trembling hand in one of his, the other with a gentle caressing motion he laid on the brown head,
“When was I ever so unkind to you that you should fear me now? Lead on, little girl. He is my brother, and he is sick.”