therine in
the face when she came home. I'm so ashamed of myself and I never
meant to be so false. We must never let her suspect for a minute."

"It's pretty rough on a fellow," said another voice--Ned's voice--in a
choked sort of a way. "Upon my word, Edith, I don't see how I'm going
to keep it up."

"You must," sobbed Edith. "It would break her heart--and Sidney's too.
We must just make up our minds to forget each other, Ned, and you must
marry Katherine."

Just at this point Katherine became aware that she was eavesdropping
and she went away noiselessly. She did not look in the least like a
person who has received a mortal blow, and she had forgotten her
headache altogether.

When Edith came up half an hour later, she found the worn-out invalid
sitting up and reading a novel.

"How is your headache, dear?" she asked, carefully keeping her face
turned away from Katherine.

"Oh, it's all gone," said Miss Rangely cheerfully.

"Why didn't you come down then? Ned was here."

"Well, Ede, I did go down, but I thought I wasn't particularly wanted,
so I came back."

Edith faced her friend in dismay, forgetful of swollen lids and
tear-stained cheeks.

"Katherine!"

"Don't look so conscience stricken, my dear child. There is no harm
done."

"You heard--"

"Some surprising speeches. So you and Ned have gone and fallen in love
with one another?"

"Oh, Katherine," sobbed Edith, "we--we--couldn't help it--but it's all
over. Oh, don't be angry with me!"

"Angry? My dear, I'm delighted."

"Delighted?"

"Yes, you dear goose. Can't you guess, or must I tell you? Sidney and
I did the very same, and had just such a melancholy parting last night
as I suspect you and Ned had tonight."

"Katherine!"

"Yes, it's quite true. And of course we made up our minds to sacrifice
ourselves on the altar of duty and all that. But now, thank goodness,
there is no need of such wholesale immolation. So just let's forgive
each other."

"Oh," sighed Edith happily, "it is almost too good to be true."

"It is really providentially ordered, isn't it?" said Katherine. "Ned
and I would never have got on together in the world, and you and
Sidney would have bored each other to death. As it is, there will be
four perfectly happy people instead of four miserable ones. I'll tell
Ned so tomorrow."

Four Winds

Alan Douglas threw down his pen with an impatient exclamation. It was
high time his next Sunday's sermon was written,