enlisted for life," ready to meet it side by side, whatever
the day developed.

Before they parted, she promised again to go and see Corinne and cheer
her up. "She cannot be left alone, Jack, with this terrible thing
hanging over her," she urged, "and you must meet Garry when he returns
to-night. Then we can learn what he has done--perhaps he will have fixed
everything himself." But though Jack went to the station and waited
until the arrival of the last train had dropped its passengers, there
was no sign of Garry. Nor did Ruth find Corinne. She had gone to the
city, so the nurse said, with Mr. Minott by the early train and would
not be back until the next day. Until their return Jack and Ruth found
their hands tied.

On the afternoon of the second day a boy called at the brick office
where Jack was settling up the final accounts connected with the "fill"
and the tunnel, preparatory to the move to Morfordsburg, and handed him
a note. It was from Corinne.

"I am in great trouble. Please come to me at once," it read. "I am here
at home."

Corinne was waiting for him in the hall. She took his hand without a
word of welcome, and drew him into the small room where she had seen him
two nights before. This time she shut and locked the door.

"Mr. McGowan has just been here," she moaned in a voice that showed how
terrible was the strain. "He tried to force his way up into Garry's
room but I held him back. He is coming again with some one of the church
trustees. Garry had a bad turn in New York and we came home by the noon
train, and I have made him lie down and sent for the doctor. McGowan
must not see him; it will kill him if he does. Don't leave us, Jack!"

"But how dare he come here and try to force his--"

"He will dare. He cursed and went on dreadfully. The door was shut, but
Garry heard him. Oh, Jack!--what are we to do?"

"Don't worry, Corinne; I'll take care of Mr. McGowan. I myself heard
Garry tell him that he would attend to his payments in a few days, and
he went away satisfied."

"Yes, but McGowan says he has been to the bank and has also seen the
Rector, and will stop at nothing."

Jack's fingers tightened and his lips came together.

"He will stop on that threshold," he said in a low, determined voice,
"and never pass it--no matter what he wants. I will go up and tell Garry
so."

"No, not yet--wait," she pleaded, in nervous twitching tones--with
pauses between each sentence. "You must hear it all fi