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“Of course, if it weren’t for Father Minick I would have. But how can we as long as he lives with us? There isn’t room. And we can’t afford a bigger place now, with rents what they are. This way it wouldn’t be fair to the child. We’ve talked it over, George and I. Don’t you suppose? But not as long as Father Minick is with us. I don’t mean we’d use the maid’s room for a–for the–if we had a baby. But I’d have to have someone in to help, then, and we’d have to have that extra room.”

He stood there in the dining room, quiet. Quiet. His body felt queerly remote and numb, but his mind was working frenziedly. Clearly, too, in spite of the frenzy. Death. That was the first thought. Death. It would be easy. But he didn’t want to die. Strange, but he didn’t want to die. He liked Life. The Park, the trees, the Club, the talk, the whole show…. Nettie was a good girl…. The old must make way for the young. They had the right to be born…. Maybe it was just another excuse. Almost four years married. Why not three years ago?… The right to live. The right to live….

He turned, stealthily, stealthily, and went back into the kitchen, put on his rubbers, stole out into the darkening November afternoon.

In an hour he was back. He entered at the front door this time, ringing the bell. He had never had a key. As if he were a child they would not trust him with one. Nettie’s women friends were just leaving. In the air you smelled a mingling of perfume, and tea, and cakes, and powder. He sniffed it, sensitively.

“How do you do, Mr. Minick!” they said. “How are you! Well, you certainly look it. And how do you manage these gloomy days?”

He smiled genially, taking off his greatcoat and revealing the red sweater with the big white “C” on it. “I manage. I manage.” He puffed out his cheeks. “I’m busy moving.”

“Moving!” Nettie’s startled eyes flew to his, held them. “Moving, Father?”

“Old folks must make way for the young,” he said, gaily. “That’s the law of life. Yes, sir! New ones. New ones.”

Nettie’s face was scarlet. “Father, what in the world—-“

“I signed over at the Grant Home to-day. Move in next week.” The women looked at her, smiling. Old man Minick came over to her and patted her plump arm. Then he pinched her smooth cheek with a quizzical thumb and forefinger. Pinched it and shook it ever so little.

“I don’t know what you mean,” said Nettie, out of breath.

“Yes, you do,” said old man Minick, and while his tone was light and jesting there was in his old face something stern, something menacing. “Yes, you do.”

* * * * *

When he entered the Grant Home a group of them was seated about the fireplace in the main hall. A neat, ruddy, septuagenarian circle. They greeted him casually, with delicacy of feeling, as if he were merely approaching them at their bench in the Park.

“Say, Minick, look here. Mowry here says China ought to have been included in the four-power treaty. He says—-“

Old man Minick cleared his throat. “You take China, now,” he said, “with her vast and practically, you might say, virgin country, why—-“

An apple-cheeked maid in a black dress and a white apron stopped before him. He paused.

“Housekeeper says for me to tell you your room’s all ready, if you’d like to look at it now.”

“Minute. Minute, my child.” He waved her aside with the air of one who pays five hundred a year for independence and freedom. The girl turned to go. “Uh–young lady! Young lady!” She looked at him. “Tell the housekeeper two pillows, please. Two pillows on my bed. Be sure.”

“Yes, sir. Two pillows. Yes, sir. I’ll be sure.”