David Baker’s Opinion 
     
    
   
   
    
     he was prepared for disappointment; he 
     
     had not known how strong his hope had 
     
     really been until that hope was utterly 
     
     taken from him. 
     
    

    
     David, with a sigh, returned the crochet 
     
     antimacassar carefully to its place on the 
     
     chair back. 
     
    

    
     “ Eric, last night, to be honest, I 
     
     thought that, if I found I could not help 
     
     this girl, it would be the best thing that 
     
     could happen, as far as you were con— 
     
     cerned. But since I have seen her—well, 
     
     I would give my right hand if I could do 
     
     anything for her. She is the wife for you, 
     
     if we could make her speak: yes, and by 
     
     the memory of your mother ”—David 
     
     brought his fist down on the window sill 
     
     with a force that shook the easement,— 
     
     “ she is the wife for you, speech or no 
     
     speech, if we could only convince her of 
     
     it.” 
     
    

    
     “ She cannot be convinced of that. No, 
     
     David, I have lost her. Did you tell her 
     
     what you have told me? ” 
     
    

    
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