“Did he tell you anything definite?”
“No.”
“Then you didn’t do what you had set out to do!”
“Yes, I did. I told him that he must see a doctor.”
“You made quite clear to him what you wanted?”
“Yes, I did—really, I did.”
“And what did he say?” She went to him and took his arm and led him to a couch. “Come, papa, let us get to the facts. You must tell me.” They sat down, and the major sighed, lit a fresh cigar, rolled it about in his fingers until it was ruined, and then flung it away.
“Boys don’t talk freely to older men,” he said. “They really never do. You may doubt this——”
“What did he say, papa?”
“Why, he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t really say anything.” And here the major came to a complete halt.