ong
while; and when they moved apart tears stood in her eyes, though she
was a woman little given to that luxury.

"This has been a great blow to me, dear," she said. "I had such high
hopes for you. I had even thought of Major Wyndham."

Honor smiled wearily.

"It was perverse of me. I suppose it ought to have been--Paul."

"I wish it had been, with all my heart; and I confess I am puzzled
about you two. How has he come to be 'Paul' within this last
fortnight?"

"It is simply that we have made a compact. He knows now that he can
never be anything more than--Paul--the truest friend a woman ever
had."

"Poor fellow! So there are two of you wasted!"

"Is any real love ever wasted?" Honor asked so simply that Mrs Conolly
kissed her again.

"My child, you put me to shame. It is clearly I who must learn from
you. Now, go home; and God be with you as He very surely will."

Then with her head uplifted and her spirit braced to unflinching
endurance, Honor Meredith went out into the blue and gold of the
morning.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE EXECRABLE UNKNOWN.

"Doubting things go wrong,
Often hurts more than to be sure they do."
--SHAKESPEARE.

Honor found Evelyn in a state of chastened happiness, buttering toast
for Theo's breakfast, which stood ready on a tray at her side.

"Would you like to take this in yourself?" she said, as she completed
her task. "I think he would be pleased. He was asking where you were."

The suggestion was so graciously proffered that Honor deposited a
light kiss on the coiled floss silk of Evelyn's hair as she bent above
the table. Then she took up the tray, and went on into the study.

She entered, and set it down without speaking; and Desmond, who was
lying back with closed eyes, roused himself at the sound.

"Thank you, little woman," he said. Then, with a start, "Ah,
Honor,--it's you. Very kind of you to trouble. Good-morning."

The contrast in his tone and manner was apparent, even in so few
words; and Honor was puzzled.

"I hope you got some sleep last night," she said, "after that cruel
thirty-six hours."

"More or less, thanks. But I had a good deal to say to Paul. You and
he seem to have become very close friends while I have been away."

"We have; permanently, I am glad to say. I should have come in to you
when I got up, but I was sure he would have done everything you could
want before leaving."