But with his frail physique it was asking too much. This at last was so
evident that the good brother advised him, and the advice was in the
nature of a command in his order, to retire for a while, and then take up
his work in a fresh field.
When this was determined on, his desire was nearly irresistible to see
Ruth Leigh; he thought it would be cowardly to disappear and not say
good-by. Indeed, it was necessary to see her and explain the stoppage of
help from the Margaret Fund. The check that he had drawn, which was
returned, had been for one of Dr. Leigh's cases. With his failure to
elicit any response from Mrs. Henderson, the hope, raised by the
newspaper comments on the unexecuted will, that the fund would be renewed
was dissipated.
In the interview which Father Damon sought with Dr. Leigh at the Women's
Hospital all this was explained, and ways and means were discussed for
help elsewhere.
"I wanted to talk this over with you," said Father Damon, "because I am
going away to take a rest."
"You need it, Father Damon," was Ruth's answer, in a professional manner.
"And--and," he continued, with some hesitation, "probably I shall not
return to this mission."
"Perhaps that will be best," she said, simply, but looking up at him now,
with a face full of tender sympathy.
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