planned to utter had turned to bitter ashes in his mouth. He had to face
the truth squarely. Rose was not, had never been, for him. It had been
mere madness for him even to dream of such a thing. Had she not accepted
him as a brother, and given him the frank affection of such
relationship, which precludes love of the other sort?

His heart hurt and he felt old and weary again. Somewhere, hidden in a
cabinet, was a bottle of whiskey, he remembered, and he sought it out
and poured himself a generous glassful. But, when he raised it to his
lips, the vision face of Smiles, as she had looked that first night on
the mountain, when she told Big Jerry and Judd that "nary a drap o' thet
devil's brew would ever be in house of hers," appeared before him, and,
with a groan, he set it down, untasted.

Returning to his living-room, he sat a long time in mental readjustment,
which was brought about with many a wrench at his heart; and when, at
last, his old iron will--which had been weakened a little by illness and
further softened by love--had once again been tempered in the crucible
of anguish, the lines on his prematurely seamed face were deeper, and in
his dark gray eyes was a new expression of pain.

* * * * *

In compliance with his telephoned request, Rose had packed her suit
case, and was all ready to accompany him when he arrived at the
Merrimans' apartment in a taxicab, to take her with him to the North
Station to catch the nine o'clock train. She was irrepressibly the
child, for the time being, and in her cheeks bloomed roses so colorful
that Gertrude Merriman accused her of painting, while knowing well
enough that joy needs no artistry.

"I'm almost _too_ happy," she cried after hearing his voice over the
wire, and proceeded to dance around the room, to the impromptu chant,
"Donald, dear, is here, is here. Donald, dear, is here."

"Are you going to kiss him?" laughed her friend. But Rose was not to be
teased, and answered, "Kiss him? I'll smother him with kisses. Isn't he
my brother, and isn't he home again after being away two and a half
years?"

When the apartment bell rang, it was Rose who ran to answer it, and
whose sweet young voice, saying, "Oh, come up _quick_," Donald heard
thrilling over the wire. His heart leaped, but his will steadied its
increased pulsations. It leaped again when he reached the third floor,
and the girl of his dreams threw herself upon him with laughter w