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"What is it?" he asked

"He is begging to go to your bed," the woman answered, peevishly "You've spoiled hi worse and worse"

A thrill of delight, yearning delight, passed over the father He stood silent for a moment, ashamed to have even the black servant suspect what he so keenly desired

"Daddy, Dick wants you," a voice soft, tre cao to sleep!" the nurse called out "You are a bad boy, keeping us awake like this"

"No, let hiainst his will "Coerly frorily outstretched With the soft body against his breast, a confident arm about his neck, the father bore him to his room and put him down on the back side of the wide bed

"Now you will sleep, won't you?" he said, his voice exultantly tender

"Yes, Daddy" Dick stretched his pretty legs out straight Silence filled the roo in at thesee with therant breathing of the child soon showed that he was asleep Cautiously Mostyn propped himself up on his elbow and looked into the placid face "He has ers, with their curving nails; h-instepped feet; and, my God! he has my telltale sensual lips Here am I in the throes of a hell produced by infinite laws What is to prevent hi the way I took? The edge of the alluring abyss will crumble under his blind tread as it cru horror which is on ift to him--for whose sake I would die--yes, die!"

Silently Mostyn left the bed and took a seat on the broad sill of one of the s overlooking the lawn

"What will be the end?" he asked hih to stand it If I were not afraid of death, I would --no, I wouldn't"--he glanced at the bed--"I a here He is the flower of my corruption God may desert him, but I won't I will protect him, love him, pity him, care for him to the end"