I heard a famous doctor say that no man need pretend to understand women unless he had been familiar with sick women." The Squire recalling the case of Ann Penhallow was silent.

The clergyman thinking too of his own bitter experience lapsed into contemplative cleaning of a much valued meerschaum pipe.

The Squire not given to morbid or other psychological studies made brief reply.

"I hope that Leila will remain half boy." "Too late, Squire--too late.

You've got a woman on your hands.