put shame upon me!"

He was taken aback for a minute by her words and attitude--then he
burst out angrily:

"It's the old story, I see! Do a good action and it turns out a
curse! Basely born! Of course you are basely born, if that's the
way you put it! What man alive would leave his own lawful child at
a strange farm off the high-road and never claim it again? You're
a fool, I tell you! This man who brought you to me was by his look
and bearing some fine gentleman or other who had just the one idea
in his head--to get rid of an encumbrance. And so he got rid of
you--"

"Don't go over the whole thing again!" she interrupted, with weary
patience-"-I was an encumbrance to him--I've been an encumbrance
to you. I'm sorry! But in no case had you the right to set a
stigma on me which perhaps does not exist. That was wrong!"

She paused a moment, then went on slowly:

"I've been a burden on you for six years now,--it's six years, you
say, since the money stopped. I wish I could do something in
return for what I've cost you all those six years,--I've tried to
be useful."

The pathos in her voice touched him to the quick.

"Innocent!" he exclaimed, and held out his arms.