y not have been reared upon copy-book maxims, but I have my
own ideas about the fitness of things; even if they don't coincide with
yours, at least I think I may be trusted not to disgrace you."

"Do you really need to tell me that, Quita?"

"It seems so--after what you said just now."

He frowned. "You can wipe out what I said just now, lass. It was
spoken in annoyance."

"Well, please don't say such things again, even in annoyance; or there
will never be any peace between us. Besides, my dear, they are quite,
quite unworthy of you, and no one knows that better than yourself."

She came closer now, and laying both hands upon him, lifted her face to
his. Then she left the study, with the seal of reconciliation upon her
lips, and revived assurance in her heart.

But Lenox, drawing out pipe and tobacco-pouch, as he watched her go,
was discomfortably aware that his first attempt at remonstrance had
ended in strategic surrender. Not only had he failed to dispel the
nameless cloud that hung upon him, but he had managed matters so ill
that now the whole subject must be labelled 'dangerous'; not to be
reopened except under special stress of circumstance.

"She needs riding on the snaffle," was his masculine reflection,
arising from the natural conviction that in all matters of moment the
mastery must rest with him; which was not Quita's view by any means;
and her husband was just beginning to recognise the fact. He noted, in
spite of her genuine devotion, a curious detachment, mental and moral,
a certain airy evasion of common, womanly responsibility, the free
attitude of the good comrade rather than the wife; inherent tendencies,
fostered and established by the dead years that took their toll at
every turn.

Each week of living with her deepened his conviction that the winning
of the entire woman would be a matter of time and trouble; of acquiring
knowledge in which he was still sadly deficient. And how infinitely
she was worth it all! He reminded himself that the first year of
marriage was proverbially difficult; that two pronounced
individualities could not be expected to fuse without a certain degree
of turmoil; and having lighted his pipe, he flung himself into a chair,
and closed his eyes.

For his trouble of mind had a physical basis of which his wife knew
nothing. His wound, though only keeping him on the sick-list a week,
had given him a good deal of pain, intermittent fever, and broken
nights, whi