and we feel in our bones
that if we admit we're beaten--we are beaten; but that every fight we
win, especially against odds, hardens those bones. But personally I
don't think she can make good on her own."

Gratian, whose Pragmatism was not yet fully baked, responded doubtfully:

"No, I don't think she can. And if she could I'm not sure. But isn't
Pragmatism a perfectly beastly word, George? It has no sense of humour
in it at all."

"It is a bit thick, and in the hands of the young, deuced likely to
become Prigmatism; but not with Nollie."

They watched the victim of their discussions with real anxiety. The
knowledge that she would never be more sheltered than she was with them,
at all events until she married, gravely impeded the formation of any
judgment as to whether or no she could make good. Now and again
there would come to Gratian who after all knew her sister better than
George--the disquieting thought that whatever conclusion Noel led them
to form, she would almost certainly force them to abandon sooner or
later.

Three days after her father's departure Noel had declared that she
wanted to work on the land. This George had promptly vetoed.

"You aren't strong enough yet, my dear: Wait till the harvest begins.
Then you can go and help on the farm here. If you can stand that without
damage, we'll think about it."

But the weather was wet and harvest late, and Noel had nothing much to
do but attend to her baby, already well attended to by Nurse, and dream
and brood, and now and then cook an omelette or do some housework for
the sake of a gnawing conscience. Since Gratian and George were away in
hospital all day, she was very much alone. Several times in the evenings
Gratian tried to come at the core of her thoughts, Twice she flew the
kite of Leila. The first time Noel only answered: "Yes, she's a brick."
The second time, she said: "I don't want to think about her."

But, hardening her heart, Gratian went on: "Don't you think it's queer
we've never heard from Captain Fort since he came down?"

In her calmest voice Noel answered: "Why should we, after being told
that he wasn't liked?"

"Who told him that?"

"I told him, that Daddy didn't; but I expect Daddy said much worse
things." She gave a little laugh, then softly added: "Daddy's wonderful,
isn't he?"

"How?"

"The way he drives one to do the other thing. If he hadn't opposed my
marriage to Cyril, you know, that wouldn't have happened, it just