It consorted with his fancy to represent to her that their young friend had been by this time unsparingly warned; but nothing could be plainer than that this was ineffectual so long as he himself resisted the ordeal.

To plead that he remained because he was too weak to move was only to throw themselves back on the other horn of their dilemma.

If he was too weak to move Addie would bring him her strength--of which, when she got there, she would give them specimens enough.

One morning he broke out at breakfast with an intimate conviction.

They'd see that she was actually starting--they'd receive a wire by noon.