the superbly unconscious egotism of childhood, found passing
respite from the torment of her own thoughts. But it was some time
before Mrs Conolly returned to her interrupted work.

Paul Wyndham dined again at the blue bungalow that night; and it soon
became evident to Honor that something had succeeded in upsetting the
schooled serenity which was the keynote of the man's character.
Desmond kept the conversation going with unflagging spirit, obviously
for his friend's benefit; but he never once mentioned the campaign;
and Honor began to understand that Paul rebelled, with quite unusual
vehemence, against an order which sent his friend on active service
without him. Then it occurred to her that he must have been unlike
himself the night before, and that she, in her blind self-absorption,
had noticed nothing. Remorse pricked her heart and gave additional
warmth to her manner,--a fact which he was quick to perceive, and to
misinterpret.

The men sat a long while over their cigars, and thereafter went into
the study at Paul's request.

Honor had been right in her guess. The fiat of separation, coming at a
time of active service, had roused him as he was rarely roused; had
proved to him, if proof were needed, that in spite of the strong love,
which had opened new vistas of thought and emotion for him during the
past year, his feeling for Desmond was, and always would be, the
master-force of his life. That he should be condemned to play the
woman's part and sit with idle hands while his friend risked life and
limb in the wild mountain country across the Border, seemed for the
moment more than he could accept in silence.

He was obliged to own grudgingly that the Colonel was justified in his
decision,--that as Second in Command he was the right man to remain in
charge of the station. But the acknowledgment did not make the
necessity one whit less detestable in his eyes; and to-night the two
men's positions were reversed. It was Paul who moved to and fro with
long restless strides; while Theo, enveloped in a cloud of blue smoke,
sat watching him in profound sympathy and understanding, making
occasional attempts at consolation, with small result.

* * * * *

During the next ten days Honor Meredith discovered how much may be
achieved and endured with the help of use and wont; discovered also
that habit is the rock on which man's soul shall be wrecked or
anchored in his evil day.

She force