r face slowly whiten.

"Yes," she said; "oh, yes! I will not fail him. I will be adequate--at
last." Then, as if a sudden thought had struck her: "Did you know of
this? Is it why you came?"

"Yes," said the doctor, slowly. "The duchess sent me. She was at the War
Office this morning when the news came in, inquiring for Ronald Ingram,
who has been wounded, and is down with fever. She telephoned for me, and
insisted on the telegram being kept back until six o'clock this evening,
in order to give me time to get here, and to break the news to you first,
if it seemed well."

Myra gazed at him, wide-eyed. "And you let me say all that, about Michael
and myself?"

"Dear lady," said the doctor, and few had ever heard that deep firm
voice, so nearly tremulous, "I could not stop you. But you did not say
one word which was not absolutely loving and loyal."

"How could I have?" queried Myra, her face growing whiter, and her eyes
wider and more bright. "I have never had a thought which was not loyal
and loving."

"I know," said the doctor. "Poor brave heart,--I know."

Myra took up the telegram, and read it again.

"Killed," she said; "_killed_. I wish I knew how."

"The duchess is ready to come to you immediately, if you would like to
have her," suggested the doctor.

"No," said Myra, smiling vaguely. "No; I think not. Not unless dear mamma
comes. If that happens we must wire for the duchess, because now--now
Michael is away--she is the only person who can cope with mamma. But
please not, otherwise; because--well, you see,--she said she could not
live up to Michael; and it does not sound funny now."

"Is there anybody you would wish sent for at once?" inquired the doctor,
wondering how much larger and brighter those big grey eyes could grow;
and whether any living face had ever been so absolutely colourless.

"Anybody I should wish sent for at once? I don't know. Oh, yes--there is
one person; if she could come. Jane--you know? Jane Dalmain. I always say
she is like the bass of a tune; so solid, and satisfactory, and beneath
one. Nothing very bad could happen, if Jane were there. But of course
this _has_ happened; hasn't it?"

The doctor sat down.

"I wired to Gleneesh this morning," he said. "Jane will be here early
to-morrow."

"Then lots of people knew before I did?" said Lady Ingleby.

The doctor did not answer.

She rose, and stood looking down into the fire; her tall graceful figure
drawn up to its full he