thing happened to Alice I would try to do what was right about the baby."
"I'm not surprised to hear you say that. I've respected you ever since I heard about the way you've stuck to Alice and how you helped her after the baby came."
"You're the first one that ever gave me credit for acting white. The whole neighborhood is down on me. They blame me for Alice's being sick."
"That's because they don't understand. You know how the neighbors gossip. If only you could take your little girl away from it all. Do you think your mother could be persuaded to take her?"
"I've never talked to her about it," the man replied. "I don't know how she'd feel about it."
"I know you'd rather have one of your own people take care of the baby, but of course you could always place her with a foster mother. I'm sure I could help you to find one if ever you should want me to."
O'Brien listened thoughtfully.
"As soon as Alice is in the hospital, I will come to see you."
A few days later he told the social worker that
