ng to take orders from
McKenzie--or from you?"

"But, Miss Merritt is his nurse, under his orders."

"She is not going to be his nurse hereafter. I have other plans for
her."

Derry stood staring, uncomprehending. "Other plans--"

"I have asked her to be my wife."

Oh, lovely painted lady on the stairs, has it come to this? Have your
prayers availed no more than this? Have the years in which you
sacrificed yourself, in which you sacrificed your son, counted no more
than this?

Derry felt faint and sick. "You can't mean it, Dad."

"I do mean it. I--am a lonely man, Derry. A disappointed man. My
wife is dead. My son is a slacker--"

It was only the maudlin drivel of a man not responsible for what he was
saying. But Derry had had enough. He took a step forward and stood at
the foot of the bed. "I wouldn't go any farther if I were you, Dad.
I've not been a slacker. I have never been a slacker. I am not a
coward. I have never been a coward. I am going to tell you right now
why I am not in France. Do you think I should have stayed out of it
for a moment if it hadn't been for you? Has it ever crossed your mind
that if you had been half a man I might have acted like a whole one?
Have you ever looked back at the years and seen me going out into the
night to follow you and bring you back? I am not whining. I loved
you, and I wanted to do it; but it wasn't easy. And I should still be
doing it; but of late you've said things that I can't forgive. I've
stood by you because I gave a promise to my mother--that I wouldn't
leave you. And I've stayed. But now I shan't try any more. I am
going to France. I am going to fight. I am not your son, sir. I am
the son of my mother."

Then the General said what he would never have said if he had been
himself.

"If you are not my son, then, by God, you shan't have any of my money."

"I don't want it. Do you think that I do? I shall get out of here
tonight, and I shan't come back. There is only one thing that I want
besides my own personal traps--and that is my mother's picture on the
stairs."

The General was drawing labored breaths. "Your mother's picture--?"

"Yes, it has no place here. Do you think for as instant that you can
meet her eyes?"

There was a look of fright on the drawn old face. "I am not well, give
me the wine."

Derry reached for the bottle. "He shall not have it."

Hilda came up to him swiftly. "Can't you see? He must.