"It is for you," said the doctor. "You had nothing to do with it. If you had, things would not have gone as they did. As for me, I feel perfectly comfortable about it in my conscience, which is my best guide. All I had to do was to let them tell their story. I perjured myself only to the extent of testifying that you knew nothing about it. The Coroner could well believe that. George and his mother could easily manage the remainder." Kate waved toward the bundle: "Am I supposed to welcome and love them?" "A poet might expect you to," said the doctor. "In the circumstances, I do not. I shall feel that you have done your whole duty if you will try to nurse them when the time comes. You must have a long rest, and they must grow some before you'll discover what they mean to you. There's always as much chance that they'll resemble your people as that they will not. The boy will have dark hair and eyes I think, but he looks exactly like you. The girl is more Holt." "Where is George?" she asked. "He was completely upset," said the doctor. "I suggested that he go somewhere to rest up a few days, so he took his tackle and went fishing, and to the farm." "Shouldn't he have stayed and faced it?" asked Kate. "There was nothing for him to face, except himself, Kate," said the doctor. Kate shook her head. She looked ghastly ill. "Doctor," she said, "couldn't you have let me die?" "And left your son and your little daughter to them?" he asked. "No, Kate, I couldn't have let you die; because you've your work in the world under your hand right now." He said that because when he said "left your son and your little daughter to them," Kate had reached over and laid her hand possessively, defensively, on the little, squirming bundle, which was all Dr. James asked of her. Presently she looked the doctor straight in the face. "Exactly what do you know?" she asked. "Everything," said the doctor. "And you?" "Everything," said Kate. There was a long silence. Then Kate spoke slowly: "That George didn't know that he shouldn't have touched that man, proves him completely incompetent," she said. "That he did, and didn't have the courage to face the results, proves him lacking in principle. He's not fit for either work to which he aspires." "You are talking too much," said the doctor. "Nurse Nepple is in charge here, and Aunt Ollie. George's mother went to the farm to cook for him. You're in the hands of two fine women, who will make you comfortable. You have escaped lasting disgrace with your skirts clear, now rest and be thankful." "I can't rest until I know one thing," said Kate. "You're not going to allow George to kill any one else?" "No," said the doctor. "I regretted telling him very much; but I had to tell him THAT could not happen." "And about the school?" she asked. "I half thought he might get it." "He WON'T!" said the doctor. "I'm in a position to know that. Now try to take some rest."