Of course I'm happy!"
"You're--you're sure she's all that?"
Again his words were as much a statement aloud to himself of his
constant dream as they were a direct answer to Maggie. "Of course!
There was enough money--the plan was in the hands of a friend who knew
how to handle such a thing--she's never known anything but the very
best surroundings--and until she was fourteen I had regular reports on
how wonderfully she was progressing. You see my friend had had her
legally adopted by a splendid family, so there's no doubt about
everything being for the best."
"And you"--Maggie drove herself on--"don't you ever want to see her?"
"Of course I do. But at the very beginning I fixed things so I could
not; so that I would not even know where she is. Removed temptation
from myself, you see. Don't you see the possible results if I should
try to see her? Something might happen that would bring out the truth,
and that would ruin her happiness, her career. Don't you see?"
His gray eyes, bright with his great dream, were fixed intently upon
Maggie; and yet she felt that they were gazing far beyond her at some
other girl . . . at his girl.
"I--I--" she gulped and swayed and would have fallen if he had not
been quick to catch her arm.
"You are sick, Miss?" he asked anxiously.
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