ld
he?"

"The kind big enough to consider that would be big enough for her,"
declared Peter.

Monte drew a quick breath.

"Do you mind repeating that?"

"I say the man really loving her who would make such a sacrifice comes
pretty close to measuring up to her standard."

"I think he would like to hear that. You see, it's the first real
sacrifice he ever undertook."

"It may be the making of him."

"Perhaps."

"He'll always have her before him as an ideal. When you come in touch
with such a woman as she--you can't lose, Covington, no matter how
things turn out."

"I 'll tell him that too."

"It's what I tell myself over and over again. To-day--well, I had an
idea there must be some one in the background of her life I did n't
know about."

"You 'd better get that out of your head. This man is n't even in the
background, Noyes."

"I 'm not so sure. I thought she seemed worried. I tried to make her
tell me, but she only laughed. She'd face death with a smile, that
woman. I got to thinking about it in my room, and that's why I came
down here to you. You've seen more of her these last few months than I
have."

"Not months; only weeks."

"And this other--I don't want to pry into her affairs, but we're all
just looking to her happiness, are n't we?"

"Consider this other man as dead and gone," cut in Monte. "He was
lucky to be able to play the small part in her life that he did play."

"But something is disturbing her. I know her voice; I know her laugh.
If I did n't have those to go by, there'd be something else. I can
_feel_ when she's herself and when she is n't."

Monte grasped his chair arms. He had studied her closely the last few
days, and had not been able to detect the fact that she was worried.
He had thought her gayer, more light-hearted, than usual. It was so
that she had held herself before him. If Peter was right,--and Monte
did not doubt the man's superior intuition,--then obviously she was
worrying over the technicality that still held her a prisoner. Until
she was actually free she would live up to the letter of her contract.
This would naturally tend to strain her intercourse with Peter. She
was not one to take such things lightly.

Monte rose, crossed the room, and placed his hand on Peter's shoulder.

"I think I can assure you," he said slowly, "that if there is anything
bothering her now, it is nothing that will last. All you've got to do
is to be patient and ho