Kilmeny of the Orchard

a dumb girl. Maybe she is right — maybe she is right.”

“ I cannot give her up,” said Eric stub- bornly. “ Something must be done. Per- haps her defect can be remedied even yet. Have you ever thought of that? You have never had her examined by a doctor qualified to pronounce on her case, have you? ”

“ N 0, Master, we never took her to any- one. When we first began to fear that she was never going to talk Thomas wanted to take her to Charlottetown and have her looked to. He thought so much of the child and he felt terrible about it. But her mother wouldn’t hear of it being done. There was no use trying to argue with her. She said that it would be no use —- that it was her sin that was visited on her child and it could never be taken away.”

“ And did you give in meekly to a mor- bid whim like that? ” asked Eric impa- tiently.

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