To-day she was
out, and Kirk had the field to himself, for Mamie, whose duty it was to
mount guard, and who had been threatened with many terrible things by
Mrs. Porter if she did not stay on guard, had once more allowed her too
sympathetic nature to get the better of her and had vanished.
Kirk was too dispirited to take advantage of his good fortune. He had a
sense of being there on parole, of being on his honour not to touch. So
he sat in his chair, and looked at Bill; while Bill, crooning to
himself, played decorously with bricks.
The truth had been a long time in coming home to Kirk, but it had
reached him at last. Ever since his return he had clung to the belief
that it was a genuine conviction of its merits that had led Ruth to
support her aunt's scheme for Bill's welfare. He himself had always
looked on the exaggerated precautions for the maintenance of the
latter's health as ridiculous and unnecessary; but he had acquiesced in
them because he thought that Ruth sincerely believed them
indispensable.
After all, he had not been there when Bill so nearly died, and he could
understand that the shock of that episode might have distorted the
judgment even of a woman so well balanced as Ruth. He was quite ready
to be loyal to her in the matter, however distasteful it might be to
him.
But now he saw the truth.
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