hey went on to talk of Noel.

"Olga tells me that they think of operating next Sunday," Daisy said.
"How anxious she will be, poor girl! I am thankful she has Nick and
Muriel to take care of her. It has been a terrible time for her all
through."

"Poor child!" said Will compassionately.

He shrewdly suspected that the time that lay ahead of Olga would be
harder to face than any she had yet experienced.

Olga herself had already begun to realize that. Noel's refusal to
consider her suggestion had surprised and disappointed her. She had not
anticipated his refusal, though she fully understood it and respected
him for it. But it made matters infinitely more difficult for her. She
longed for the time when Max's part should be done and he should have
passed finally out of her life. Not that he intruded upon her in any
way. He scarcely so much as glanced in her direction; but his very
presence was a perpetual trial to her. She had a feeling that the green
eyes were watching continually for some sign of weakness, even though
they never looked her way.

Nick was a great comfort to her in those days, but she felt that even he
did not wholly grasp the difficulties of the situation. He supported her
indeed, but he did not realize precisely where lay the strain. And it
was the same with Dr. Jim. He had accepted her engagement without demur
after a gruff enquiry as to whether she loved the fellow. But he had not
asked for any details, and had made no reference to her former
engagement. She supposed that he found out all he wanted to know on this
subject from Nick; and she was grateful for his forbearance, albeit,
after a woman's fashion, slightly hurt by it.

She had not, however, much time for reflection of any sort during those
first days in town. Noel occupied all her thoughts.

On the day before that fixed for the operation, he went into a private
nursing-home. He was extremely cheery over all the preparations, and
made himself exceedingly popular with his nurses before he had been more
than a few hours in the place.

Even Max was somewhat surprised by the boy's fund of high spirits, and
Sir Kersley openly expressed his admiration.

"You Wyndhams are a very remarkable family," he said to Max that night.

Max smiled sardonically in recognition of the compliment. "But the boy
has more backbone than I thought," he admitted. "I don't think he will
give us much trouble after all, thanks to Olga."

"Ah!" Sir Kersley said.