She has no choice in the matter; they don't ask her
permission; and she isn't old enough to know what it means;
and she gets used to it and fond of it before she grows to
know what the danger is. And then it's too late. It seemed
to me that if there was any one who had a right to stop it, it
would be a very good thing to let that person know about
her--about this child, I mean; the one who made the
hit--before it was too late. It seems to me a responsibility
I wouldn't care to take myself. I wouldn't care to think that
I had the chance to stop it, and had let the chance go by.
You know what the life is, and what the temptation a woman--"
Van Bibber stopped with a gasp of concern, and added,
hurriedly, "I mean we all know--every man knows."

Mr. Caruthers was looking at him with his lips pressed
closely together, and his eyebrows drawn into the shape of the
letter V. He leaned forward, and looked at Van Bibber
intently.

"What is all this about?" he asked. "Did you come here,
Mr. Van Bibber, simply to tell me this? What have you to do
with it? What have I to do with it? Why did you come?"

"Because of the child."

"What child?"

"Your child," said Van Bibber.

Young Van Bibber was quite prepared for an outbreak of