He was scarlet when he finished, and he could not lift his eyes from the floor. The mother sat as if carved in stone. But the only emotion she betrayed was a slight quivering of the lips, and a sudden twitching of her eyelids. “I—I’ll always take care of you, dear,” Howard hastened to assure her. “Every week you shall have a certain amount of my pay.” “You—you couldn’t do it, dear.” Marjorie found her voice at last, although it was faint and trembled pitifully. “You couldn’t afford to keep up two homes.” “Oh, yes, I can!” he eagerly plead. “Kate says she doesn’t mind scrimping at all—she doesn’t care how hard we have to struggle. Only she’s taken it into her head that she doesn’t want to live with—her—mother-in-law.” His voice was a husky whisper as the word he knew would flay his mother, came. A sob that she could not choke broke on the stillness. In a moment Howard was on his knees beside her, his arms holding her close. “Please, mother!” he begged. “Don’t feel that way! I love you just the same—but I’m a man now, and I’ve met the woman I want to marry. This comes into everyone’s life.” Her arm closed about his neck and she held him close. “Oh, my dear—my dear!” and now the sobs came unchecked. “You’re so precious to me—all that is left to me in the world! Husband! Daughter! All gone! Only you, dear,—only you!” “But I’m not going, mother. Don’t you understand? I’ll see you as much as ever.” “Why—why can’t I stay here?” In her despair, she pleaded frantically. “I’ll keep to myself—I—I won’t interfere with a thing. I won’t be in anyone’s way—I just want to be where I can see you—where I can be near you—should you need me! See, I’m throwing away all my pride, dear,” as she slipped to her knees, “and begging you to let me stay—because—I love you so—I love you so!” “Hush, mother.” He lifted her from her knees, and wiped his eyes. “You’re making this very hard for me. You know I wouldn’t intentionally hurt you for the world. I’ve talked this over again and again with Kate—but she won’t have it any other way. I—I don’t know what to do.” “It’s—all right, dear,” she whispered, but the tone was barely audible and broken. “It’s all right! I—I’ll go.” “I know just as soon as you’re calm, mother, you will see things in a different light.” “Yes, dear—I understand, dear!” she said quietly, but the voice was one of despair that the son did not recognize nor heed. “I’ll be calm and _sensible_! You want me to be——” “Yes, dear. Please try—I’ll be back in a minute.” He went into his room and closed the door.