ard
champing their bits.

He sank into his chair with a gesture of unfeigned weariness; and she
glanced at his face. Its mingled pain and patience pierced her heart.
But when at last he spoke, his voice was natural and controlled.

"I have only one word more to say. I confess I have not the courage to
let you go altogether out of my life. Since nothing else is possible,
will you at least accept me as your permanent and--devoted friend?"

She turned upon him in frank surprise.

"Do you mean that--really? _Can_ you do it? Men always say----"

He smiled a trifle bitterly.

"Do they? No doubt they are right--for themselves. But I know I have
the strength to accept what I ask, or I would not dare ask it. You
won't refuse me that much, will you--Honor?"

"No, indeed, no," she answered, greatly moved. "I can deny you nothing
that I am not forced to deny you--Paul."

"Ah, there is no woman in the world to compare with you! Let me say it
this once, as I may never tell you so again."

He rose in speaking, braced his shoulders, and stood looking down upon
her, a strangely glad light in his eyes.

"I have _not_ lost you, after all," he said.

She rose also, and gave him both her hands. "No. You have gained
me--for good. I--care now ever so much more than I did when I came out
to you this morning."

"You _do_?"

"Yes--I do."

He drew her towards him. "Promise me this much," he said, "that if you
should ever find it possible to--marry me on any conditions--even the
hardest--you will tell me so at once, because after this morning I
shall never open my lips on the subject again."

"I promise. Only--you must not let yourself hope."

He sighed. "Very well, I will shut out hope, since you command it. But
I shall still have love and faith to live upon. You cannot deprive me
of those--Honor. Now shall we go for our ride? Or would you rather go
in and rest after all this?"

"No. We will have our ride. I can rest later if I need it."

"Let me put you up then. Come."

And she came without a word.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE CHEAPER MAN.

"No proposition Euclid wrote,
No formulae the text-books show,
Will turn the bullet from your coat,
Or ward the tulwar's downward blow:
Strike hard, who cares--shoot straight, who can;
The odds are on the cheaper man!"
--RUDYARD KIPLING: _Arithmetic on the Frontier._

The second week in March found the little force from Kohat still
skirmish