s only her own heart ever knew, how
much of longing, how much of regret, how much of earnest, quivering
hope.

She followed him almost at once as she had promised.

The parlour door was open. She came to it in her light, impetuous way.
She halted on the threshold.

"Jeff!" she said. "Come here!"

She reached out her hands to him--little, nervous hands full of purpose.
She drew him close. She raised her lips to his. The mistletoe dangled
above their heads.

"Will you kiss me, Jeff?" she whispered.

He stooped, half-hesitating.

Her arms stole about his neck. "You needn't--ever--be afraid to kiss
your own wife, dear," she said. "I want your love just in the ordinary
way--the ordinary way."

He held her to him. "Dot--Dot--forgive me!"

She shook her head with frank, fearless eyes raised to his. "It was a
bad bargain, Jeff. Forget it!"

"And make another?" he suggested.

To which she answered with her quick smile. "Love makes no bargains,
Jeff. Love just gives--and gives--and gives."

And as his lips met hers he knew the wondrous truth of what she said.
For in that one long kiss she gave him all she had. And love conquered,
just in the old, sweet, ordinary way.

[Footnote 2: Copyright, 1915, by Ethel M. Dell.]

The Place of Honour

Wherein a woman with a love of freedom, two soldiers in the Indian Army,
and a snake-bite are most intimately concerned.

CHAPTER I

THE BRIDE

"And that is the major's bride? Ah, what a pity!"

The soft, Irish eyes of Mrs. Raleigh, the surgeon's wife, looked across
the ball-room with a very real compassion in their grey depths.

"Pity?" said young Turner, the subaltern, who chanced to be at that
moment in attendance upon her. "It's worse than that; it's a monstrous
shame! She's only nineteen, you know; and he is twenty years older at
least."

Mrs. Raleigh sighed.

"You have met her, Phil," she said. "I am going to get you to introduce
me. Let us go across to her."

Mrs. Raleigh was greatly beloved by all subalterns. Her husband's
bungalow was open to them day and night, and they took full advantage
of the fact.

It was not that there was anything particularly brilliant about the
surgeon's wife, but her ready sympathy made her a general favourite, and
her kindness of heart was known to be equal to the severest strain.

Therefore, among the boys of the regiment she ruled supreme, and the
expression of her lightest wish generally provoked a jealous scrambl