d upon his
knee. "It was--dear of you, Scott," she said very earnestly. "Thank
you--ever so much--for what you did."

He put his hand on hers. "My dear, I would have given all I had to have
undone it afterwards. It is very generous of you to take it like that. I
have often wanted to kick myself since."

"Then you must never want to again," she said. "Do you know I'm so glad
you've told me? It was so--fine of you--to do that for me. I'm sure you
couldn't have wanted me for a sister-in-law even then."

"I wanted you to be happy," Scott reiterated.

She uttered a quick sigh. "Happiness isn't everything, is it?"

"Not everything, no," he said.

She grasped his hand hard. "I'm going to try to be good instead," she
said. "Will you help me?"

He smiled at her somewhat sadly. "If you think my help worth having," he
said.

"But of course it is," she made warm answer. "You are the strong man who
helps everyone. You are--Greatheart."

He looked at her still smiling and slowly shook his head. "Now, if you
don't mind," he said, "I will write my note to Isabel."

CHAPTER XXII

SPOKEN IN JEST

The afternoon was well advanced when Scott returned to Perrythorpe Court.
No sounds of revelry greeted him as he entered. A blazing fire was
burning in the hall, but no one was there to enjoy the warmth. The gay
crowd that had clustered before the great hearth only yesterday had all
dispersed. The place was empty.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" enquired the man who admitted him.

His voice was sepulchral. Scott smiled a little. "Yes, please. A whisky
and soda. Where is everybody?"

"The Colonel and Miss Rose went out riding, sir, after the guests had all
gone, and they have not yet returned. Her ladyship is resting in her
room."

"Everyone gone but me?" questioned Scott, with a whimsical lift of the
eyebrows.

The man bent his head decorously. "I believe so, sir. There was a general
feeling that it would be more fitting as the marriage was not to take
place as arranged. I understand, sir, that the family will shortly
migrate to town."

"Really?" said Scott.

He bent over the fire, for the evening was chilly, and he was tired to
the soul. The man coughed and withdrew. Again the silence fell.

A face he knew began to look up at Scott out of the leaping
flames--a face that was laughing and provocative one moment, wistful
and tear-stained the next.

He heaved a sigh as he followed the fleeting vision. "Will she