We'll be all
right, Maggie, if nothing happens to him."
With a little frightened catch in her throat she asked him:
"How do you mean, if anything happens to him?"
"If anything happened to him--" she could feel his hand stiffen
round hers; "through me--then--why then--I'd leave you--everything--
I'd have to."
"Leave me! . . . Oh Martin! No!"
"I'd go. I'd go--I don't know where to. I don't know what I'd do.
I'd know then that I must leave every one alone, always, for ever--
especially you."
"No. You'd need me more than ever."
"You don't understand, Maggie. I'd be impossible after that. If
father suffered through me that would be the end of it--the end of
everything."
"Martin, listen." She caught his arm, looking up, trying to see his
face. "If anything like that did happen that would be where you'd
want me. Don't you see that you COULDN'T harm me EXCEPT by leaving
me?"
"You can reason it as you like, Maggie, but I know myself. I know
the impulse would be too strong--to go away and hide myself from
everybody. I've felt it before--when I've done something especially
bad. It's something in me that I've known all my life.
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