Aunt
Lora has no tact, and she will make a speech on every possible
occasion; but she was right just now. It really was rather dangerous,
picking Bill up like that and kissing him."
Kirk stared.
"I don't understand. Did you expect me to wave my hand to him? Or would
it have been more correct to bow?"
"Don't be so satirical, Kirk; you wither me. No, seriously, you really
mustn't kiss Bill. I never do. Nobody does."
"What!"
"I dare say it sounds ridiculous to you, but you were not here when he
was so ill and nearly died. You remember what I was telling you at the
dock? About giving Whiskers away? Well, this is all part of it. After
what happened I feel, like Aunt Lora, that we simply can't take too
many precautions. You saw his nursery. Well, it would be simply a waste
of money giving him a nursery like that if he was allowed to be exposed
to infection when he was out of it."
"And I am supposed to be infectious?"
"Not more than anybody else. There's no need to be hurt about it. It's
just as much a sacrifice for me."
"So nobody makes a fuss over Bill now--is that it?"
"Well, no. Not in the way you mean."
"Pretty dreary outlook for the kid, isn't it?"
"It's all for his good."
"What a ghastly expression!"
Ruth left her chair and came and sat on the arm of Kirk's. She ruffled
his hair lightly with the tips of her fingers.
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