" Who ?sx Why ?sx " Walter asked .sx " Who ?sx " she smiled again .sx " Walter Keller .sx Why ?sx Because - and thank Heaven for it - he's my husband .sx " Walter shuffled his feet , threw his half-smoked cigarette into the fire and cleared his throat nervously .sx " It's - it's surprising how kind people are , " he said .sx " One never knows just how - how decent fellows can be .sx " " Who has been especially decent now , Walter ?sx " .sx Walter came and sat down near her , took her hand in his and ran his fingers up and down her wrists .sx He said nothing for a moment , then looked up at her and smiled .sx " Old Dawson , " he said , " came to me this morning .sx Said that he hoped that you were well , and the usual conventional nothings .sx Then he said , and very kindly and nicely , that if he could be of any service to me , ` and,' he said , ` at this particular time , to your wife , will you remember that nothing could be a trouble , nothing could be anything but a very great pleasure .sx ' I thought , considering that we haven't been on the best of terms with him , that it was very kind .sx " Deborah pulled her hand from his grasp and sat stiffly upright in her chair .sx Something froze in her , she shivered , then sat very still .sx Walter said , " Deb , you're not ill , are you ?sx " No , " she said , " I'm not ill , Walter .sx " She turned and laid her hands on his shoulders .sx " Walter , " she said insistently , " promise me that whatever happened , whatever any-one advised , you'd never let George Dawson come near me .sx Promise , Walter .sx Faithfully .sx " " Of course , " he tried to soothe her , " of course , Deb .sx I didn't know that you felt that way .sx I only told you because I thought you'd be pleased .sx " " Pleased !sx " Deborah said .sx " Pleased - Good God !sx " .sx The child was born in the early days of June .sx Walter paced the house like a demented creature , asking the same question again and again , reducing Haverstock to a state of gloom deeper than was usual , even for him .sx When he was allowed to visit his wife , Walter looked at her , his face .sx anguished and stricken , then flung himself on his knees by the bed and cried like a frightened child .sx " Walter , Walter , " Deborah whispered , " my dear , it's all right .sx Don't you want to see the boy ?sx " .sx Keller , his face hidden , shuddered violently .sx " No , not yet - please , not yet , " Deborah caught the muffled words , " I couldn't bear it .sx You're all I want , Deb , all I have ever wanted .sx " II .sx Walter sat by the fire smoking .sx The room was warm , his work during the day had been heavy , he was tired and con-tent .sx Deborah had just come in , had come up behind his .sx chair and kissed him .sx That , in itself , was pleasant .sx He turned and looked at her , smiling .sx " Hello , lovely Deb !sx I believe you get prettier every day .sx " Deborah shook her head .sx " No - it's only that I'm happy .sx That's all .sx " " Why are you happy , Deb ?sx " He loved to hear her answer , loved the deep , quiet tones of her voice .sx " Why ?sx " she said .sx " Can one ever say why ?sx Doesn't pinning happiness down to reasons take away some of the joy of it ?sx I'm happy for lots of reasons .sx Work - the boy - you .sx - the pleasure I get out of my own brain - It's a good brain , by the way .sx All those .sx " " You put work first , " he grumbled , " was that because you felt it , or just chance ?sx She shot a glance at him , caught the look of annoyance which had come over his handsome face .sx " Did I ?sx " she asked , " I didn't mean to .sx Only , if anyone should be -passionate about their work , it is surely we doctors .sx " " You mean that you'd put work before your own feelings ?sx " " In some things , " she said , " I should be forced to .sx That's what makes medicine such a difficult business , isn't .sx it ?sx " .sx He had lost interest a little , his mind had rushed off in another direction .sx " Oh , I shall want the big room ready for the day after to-morrow , " he said , " and the theatre .sx Appendix .sx " " Who is it ?sx " Walter patted the arm of his big chair .sx " Come and sit down , " he said , " and I'll tell you .sx That's better , put your arm round my neck .sx You remember a fellow , Lee Foster ?sx Lives at Green Hill ?sx Coal owner .sx Tall , light-haired man , with long teeth and a thin nose .sx Has a rather attractive wife .sx We saw them at the county ball last month .sx D'you remember what I said to you when I saw her ?sx Deborah frowned , nodded .sx " I remember .sx You said , ` That's a good-looking woman .sx I bet she drinks .sx ' I remember quite well .sx " " That's the woman .sx Lee Foster came to see me this morning .sx It appears that Dawson has had charge of the case .sx He's called it everything but - drink .sx He used to come and talk to her , chat by the hour .sx Sent her to the South of France , she came home worse than ever ; sent her to Scotland , she nearly killed herself .sx Finally sent her , as a nerve case , to a nursing home in Scarborough .sx She came home at the end of four days .sx Lee Foster , who appears to be devoted to her , told Dawson that he wanted another man .sx That was six weeks ago .sx Dawson gave up the case .sx Foster waited a month or so , to see what his influence could do .sx It did nothing , not a thing .sx He came to me .sx I suggested telling her the truth .sx He implored me not to , but to try and keep her here for observation .sx " He paused and , turning his head , looked at Deborah , his eyes dancing with amusement .sx Deborah always wondered how Walter could find such cases amusing , even when the amusement lay in some trick or scheme which he devised .sx That a woman , young , rich , pretty and loved , should drink , seemed to Deborah nothing but a tragedy .sx " I suggested an op .sx for the removal of the appendix .sx Oh , I told the husband .sx It's all on the level , and then I can keep .sx her here for two months at least .sx I want to try that new French stuff - you know , that we got over last week .sx Old de Bourlais wrote to me that it had done wonders .sx " " Very clever , " Deborah said slowly , " I suppose that .sx the end justifies the means .sx Yes , I'm sure that it does .sx When is she coming ?sx " To-morrow .sx I'll examine her ; her husband will say that it's nerves that she is suffering from .sx I suggest an appendix .sx Call you in , and you back me up .sx See ?sx " .sx Deborah made the shadow of a grimace at him .sx " Must I ?sx Very well , I'll play-act for you , Walter .sx " Mrs. Lee Foster was installed , the operation was per-formed , and her recovery was perfectly uneventful and normal .sx The drug , discovered by the Frenchman , de Bourlais , was administered , and fulfilled all Walter's expectations .sx He prophesied an absolute cure .sx Lee Foster was delighted ; not , Deborah felt , that he had any real love for his wife , but because he regarded her as a piece of his property and liked her to do him credit .sx One afternoon during the fourth week of Mrs. Lee Foster's cure , Deborah came home early .sx She had asked Walter if he would be back early , and he had pleaded a committee meeting at the hospital .sx As she came .sx in , she told the parlourmaid , who was in the hall , to bring tea into the drawing-room .sx " Will the master be having his too , m'am ?sx " " No , make his when he comes in , Benson .sx " " I saw him come in half an hour ago , M'am .sx I think he went up to the patients' rooms .sx " " Oh !sx " His committee meeting must have been postponed , Deborah thought .sx " Then tea for both of us , Benson .sx I'll tell him myself .sx " She looked in at the first room , a little boy with a newly-set thigh .sx " Hello , Jimmy .sx Has the doctor been into see your new book ?sx " .sx " No , Dr. Keller , not since this morning .sx I wish he would .sx " " I'll send him , Jimmy .sx I'll go and find him now .sx " The next room was Mrs. Lee Foster's .sx The bed was be-hind the door , and on the opposite wall was the dressing table and looking-glass .sx It was possible to catch sight of the patient lying in bed in the looking-glass , if the door was half-open .sx It was half-open now ; the nurses left it ajar so that they could see if the patient was asleep and so avoid disturbing her .sx Deborah caught sight of a man's figure bending over the bed , saw a white arm encircling his neck , saw a face pressed to his - and realized that the man was Walter .sx She stood rigid , knew that a sudden deathly sickness swept over her , that she laid her hand against the wall for support .sx Then her mind cleared , and she took a step back towards the room where the little boy was lying .sx " I'll send Mr. Keller , Jimmy , " she called , " he won't be .sx long .sx " She sensed that the two people in the next room heard , and a second later she caught the sound of Walter's voice , cheerful and unconcerned .sx " The bandage is all right .sx Now , don't try to loosen it , whatever you do .sx " Very calmly Deborah walked into the room .sx She smiled , her face felt stiff and desperately cold .sx Walter was standing by the bed , and Muriel Lee Foster lay back against her pillows , pink and white , curled and scented as usual .sx " Hello , Deb !sx " Walter was smiling back at her .sx " I got away early .sx You finished quickly .sx That's good !sx Mrs. Lee Foster complains that the ` many tail ' is too tight .sx I don't think it is .sx Try it and see , will you ?sx Deliberately and without the faintest sign of distaste or unbelief , Deborah felt the bandage .sx " No , " she said , " I should think it's absolutely right .sx " " There you are !sx Now , be good and go to sleep .sx Tea ready , Deb ?sx That's good .sx I'm ready for it .sx " Back in her own drawing-room , she poured out tea , amazed that her hand so was steady .sx She gave the cup to .sx Walter , then sat down and drank her own .sx The hot liquid .sx refreshed her , nerved her and gave her strength .sx She put down the cup and faced him - .sx " Walter , " she said , " how long have you been playing those scenes in Mrs. Lee Foster's bedroom ?sx " " What scenes , Deb ?sx " .sx " The scene which I saw just now .sx Saw in the looking-glass as I came along the passage from Number six .sx Don't .sx lie , Walter , it's no use .sx How many times has that happened ?sx " .sx He looked at her , as if still uncertain how much she had seen , then said , " I'm sorry , Deb , fearfully sorry , I can't .sx think why I was such a fool .sx That's the first time - and the last .sx Forgive me , Deb .sx Try and forgive me .sx " " You swear that it's the first time ?sx " " I swear it , on my honour .sx " She looked at him , met his eyes steadily , and knew that he lied .sx " Very well , " she said , slowly , " let us forget it , shall we ?sx I'm going up to see the boy have his bath .sx " Deborah never found him in the patient's room again ; indeed he almost insisted that , when he paid his morning and evening visits , Deborah should accompany him .sx His conversation with Mrs. Lee Foster was limited to professional questions as to her health .sx Everything was apparently above suspicion .sx To Deborah , he was kind and affectionate , indeed , it seemed to her that Walter was more demonstrative than he had ever been ; and yet - Deborah was worried and unhappy .sx She longed for the day when Muriel Lee Foster .sx and her battery of trunks should be taken down the stairs and out of the house .sx She left after two and a half months .sx Walter swore that she was cured .sx Her husband was more than grateful , she was a different creature - her looks , her health , her spirits completely restored .sx She was going to the sea for a month .sx with her maid , then returning home to take up what Lee Foster called her social duties .sx Three weeks after she left , Walter told Deborah that he had to go to Blackford for an operation .sx It wasn't a big business - hernia - but he wanted to oblige Dr. Moore , who had been good to him in the days of their struggles .sx