meddle with. Now, however, when the girl's
nature was strongly stirred, there was a risk that, supposing his
comrade was discovered wounded or was rescued in some dramatic way, she
might be driven to a betrayal of her feelings that would seriously
embarrass George and afterward cause her distress.

"George," he explained, "is merely carrying on the farm as Mrs.
Marston's trustee."

"But that hardly accounts for his keen eagerness to make his farming
profitable. It strikes one as springing from something stronger than
his duty as trustee."

Edgar nodded.

"Well, you see, he is in love with her!"

Flora sat quite still for a moment or two, and then laughed--a little
bitter laugh; she was overstrained and could not repress it. A flood
of hot color surged into her face, but in another moment she had
recovered some degree of composure.

"So that is why he came out?" she said.

"Yes; he was in love with her before she married Marston. At least,
that's his impression."

"His impression?" echoed Flora, keenly anxious to cover any signs of
the shock she had received and to learn all that could be told. "Do
you mean that Mr. Lansing doesn't know whether he is in love with her
or not?"

"No, not exactly!" Edgar felt that he was on dangerous ground. "I'm
afraid I can't quite explain what I really do mean. George, of course,
is convinced about the thing; but I've a suspicion that he may be
mistaken; though he'd be very indignant if he heard me say so."

He paused, doubtful whether he was handling the matter prudently, but
he felt that something must be done to relieve the strain, and
continued:

"George has the faculty of respectful admiration highly developed, but
he doesn't use it with much judgment; in fact, he's a rather reckless
idealist. There are excuses for him; he was never much thrown into
women's society."

"You think that explains it?" Flora forced a smile. "But go on."

"My idea is that George has been led by admiration and pity, and not by
love at all. I don't think he knows the difference; he's not much of a
psychologist. Then, you see, he's thorough, and having got an idea
into his mind, it possesses him and drives him to action. He doesn't
stop to analyze his feelings."

"So he came out to look after Mrs. Marston's property because he felt
sorry for her, and believed her worthy of respect? What is your
opinion of her?"

"I'll confess that I wish she hadn't captivated George."

F