"
Another month passed, and by this time Dick could, without any great
fatigue, squat on his heels for an hour at a time. As the date for his
departure drew near, his mother became more and more nervous and
anxious.
"I shall never forgive myself, if you do not come back," she said one
day, when they were alone. "I cannot but feel that I have been
selfish, and that really, on the strength of a conviction which most
people would laugh at as whimsical and absurd, I am risking the
substance for a shadow, and am imperilling the life of my only boy,
upon the faint chance that he may find my husband. I know that even
your uncle, although he has always been most kind about it, and
assisted in every way in his power, has but little belief in the
success of your search; although, as he sees how bent I am upon it, he
says nothing that might dash my hopes.
"If evil comes of it, Dick, I shall never forgive myself. I shall feel
that I have sacrificed you to a sort of hallucination."
"I can only say, Mother," Dick replied, "that I came out here, and
entered into your plans, only because I had the most implicit faith
that you were right. I should now continue it on my own account, even
if tomorrow you should be taken from me.
Pages:
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276