dmamma. Roddy and I have been ever so
sociable lately, given several dinner-parties and one musical thing."

"You're not looking very well. Roddy here?"

"Yes."

"Hope he'll come and see me before he goes. Hasn't been to see me much
lately."

Their eyes met. Rachel held her ground and then, beaten as though by a
physical blow, lowered her gaze.

"Oh! hasn't he? He's been here a lot, I thought. He's been very busy
over some horses that he's had to go up and down to Seddon about."

"H'm. Well--I dare say he'll remember me again one day--so we're in for
a war?"

"Yes. They don't seem to think it very serious though--Uncle Richard
says----"

"Your Uncle Richard knows nothing about it--nothing. However, I don't
think anyone need be alarmed."

There was in this last sentence a ring in the Duchess's voice that flung
her words out for the nation to grasp at. "No need, my good people, for
you to worry--_I_ have this in hand."

"Well, I'm very glad," said Rachel. "It's such a long while since
anything has happened that it seems quite odd for everyone to have
something to talk about except dinner-parties and scandal----"

The old woman looked across at her and then very slowly a smile rose,
stiffened between her old dried lips and stayed there--

"What would you say, my dear, if Roddy thought it his duty to go and
defend his country?"

There was, suddenly, the sharp ring in her voice that Rachel knew so
well.

"I know," Rachel said quietly, "that Roddy would do his duty, and of
course I would want him to do that."

The Duchess, with her eyes still upon her granddaughter's face,
said--"I've heard a good deal about a young friend of yours lately."

"Who is that, grandmamma?" Rachel said, and, in spite of herself her
hand trembled a little against her dress.

"Nita Raseley."

Rachel caught her breath.

"I gather that you and she haven't seen so much of one another lately."

"Oh! I think we have. We never were great friends, you know."

"Did she enjoy her time at Seddon? A clever little thing. I shouldn't
drop her, Rachel, if I were you."

"She seemed to enjoy Seddon, grandmamma. I must be going, I'm afraid,
with the patient Roddy waiting for me. Shall I tell him to come up?"

The old hand struck the arm of the chair and the rings flashed.

"No, thank you, my dear. If he can't come of his own accord, I'd prefer
that he had no prompting. There was a time when it was otherwise."

Rachel got up. Their eye