Part 57 (1/2)

But the Inspector's talk had a trick of fading away at the end of the third sentence and it was with difficulty that they could get him started again.

”You are most provoking!” finally exclaimed Mrs. Cameron, giving up the struggle. ”Isn't he, baby?”

The latter turned upon the Inspector two steady blue eyes beaming with the intelligence of a two months' experience of men and things, and announced his grave disapproval of the Inspector's conduct in a distinct ”goo!”

”There!” exclaimed his mother triumphantly. ”I told you so. What have you now to say for yourself?”

The Inspector regarded the blue-eyed atom with reverent wonder.

”Most remarkable young person I ever saw in my life, Mrs. Cameron,” he a.s.serted positively.

The proud mother beamed upon him.

”Well, baby, he IS provoking, but we will forgive him since he is so clever at discovering your remarkable qualities.”

”Pshaw!” said Dr. Martin. ”That's nothing. Any one could see them. They stick right out of that baby.”

”DEAR Dr. Martin,” explained the mother with affectionate emphasis, ”what a way you have of putting things. But I wonder what keeps Allan?”

continued Mrs. Cameron. ”He promised faithfully to be home before dinner.” She rose, and, going to the side of the house, looked long and anxiously up toward the foothills. Dr. Martin followed her and stood at her side gazing in the same direction.

”What a glorious view it is!” she said. ”I never tire of looking over the hills and up to the great mountains.”

”What the deuce is the fellow doing?” exclaimed the doctor, disgust and rage mingling in his tone. ”Great Heavens! She is kissing him!”

”Who? What?” exclaimed Mandy. ”Oh!” she cried, her eyes following the doctor's and lighting upon two figures that stood at the side of the poplar bluff in an att.i.tude sufficiently compromising to justify the doctor's exclamation.

”What? It's Moira--and--and--it's Smith! What does it mean?” The doctor's language appeared unequal to his emotions. ”Mean?” he cried, after an exhausting interlude of expletives. ”Mean? Oh, I don't know--and I don't care. It's pretty plain what it means. It makes no difference to me. I gave her up to that other fellow who saved her life and then picturesquely got himself killed. There now, forgive me, Mrs.

Cameron. I know I am a brute. I should not have said that. Don't look at me so. Raven was a fine chap and I don't mind her losing her heart to him--but really this is too much. Smith! Of all men under heaven--Smith!

Why, look at his legs!”

”His legs? Dr. Martin, I am ashamed of you. I don't care what kind of legs he has. Smith is an honorable fellow and--and--so good he was to us. Why, when Allan and the rest of you were all away he was like a brother through all those terrible days. I can never forget his splendid kindness--but--”

”I beg your pardon, Mrs. Cameron, I beg your pardon. Undoubtedly he is a fine fellow. I am an a.s.s, a jealous a.s.s--might as well own it. But, really, I cannot quite stand seeing her throw herself at Smith--Smith!

Oh, I know, I know, he is all right. But oh--well--at any rate thank G.o.d I saw him at it. It will keep me from openly and uselessly abasing myself to her and making a fool of myself generally. But Smith! Great G.o.d! Smith! Well, it will help to cure me.”

Mrs. Cameron stood by in miserable silence.

”Oh, Dr. Martin,” at length she groaned tearfully, ”I am so disappointed. I was so hoping, and I was sure it was all right--and--and--oh, what does it mean? Dear Dr. Martin, I cannot tell you how I feel.”

”Oh, hang it, Mrs. Cameron, don't pity me. I'll get over it. A little surgical operation in the region of the pericardium is all, that is required.”

”What are you talking about?” exclaimed Mrs. Cameron, vaguely listening to him and busy with her own thoughts the while.

”Talking about, madam? Talking about? I am talking about that organ, the central organ of the vascular system of animals, a hollow muscular structure that propels the blood by alternate contractions and dilatations, which in the mammalian embryo first appears as two tubes lying under the head and immediately behind the first visceral arches, but gradually moves back and becomes lodged in the thorax.”

”Oh, do stop! What nonsense are you talking now?” exclaimed Mrs.

Cameron, waking up as from a dream. ”No, don't go. You must not go.”