he hopefulness was knocked out of me," Hardress
answered. "You see, I wanted to save the old leg, and they tried to:
and then it was a case of one operation after another, until at last
they took it off--near the hip."

Norah went white.

"Near the hip!" Her voice shook. "Oh, it couldn't be--you're so big
and strong!"

Hardress laughed grimly.

"I used to think it couldn't be, myself," he said. "Well, I suppose
one will get accustomed to it in time. I'm sorry I distressed you,
Miss Linton--only I thought I had better make a clean breast of it."

"I'm glad you did." Norah had found control of her voice and her
wits: she remembered that this maimed lad with the set face was there
to be helped, and that it was part of her job to do it. Her very soul
was wrung with pity, but she forced a smile.

"Now you have just got to let us help," she said. "We can't try to
make forget it, I know, but we can help to make the best of it. You
can practise using it in all sorts of ways, and seeing just what you
can do with it. And, Captain Hardress, I know they do wonders now
with artificial legs: Dad knew of a man who played tennis with his--as
bad a case as yours."

"That certainly seems too good to be true," said Hardress.

"I don't know about that," said Norah eagerly. "Your leg must be very
good--none of us guessed the truth about it. When you get used to it,
you'll be able to manage all sorts of things. Golf, for
instance--there's a jolly little nine-hole course in the park, and I
know you could play."

"I had thought golf might be a possibility," he said. "Not that I
ever cared much for it. My two games were polo and Rugby football."

"I don't know about Rugby," said Norah thoughtfully. "But of course
you'll play polo again. Some one was writing in one of the papers
lately, saying that so many men had lost a leg in the war that the
makers would have to invent special riding-legs, for hunting and polo.
I know very well that if Jim came home without a leg he'd still go
mustering cattle, or know the reason why! And there was the case of
an Irishman, a while ago, who had no legs at all--and he used to
hunt."

"By Jove!" said Hardress. "Well, you cheer a fellow up, Miss Linton."

"You see, I have Jim and Wally," said Norah. "Do you know Wally, by
the way?"

"Is that Meadows?--oh yes, I met him with your brother."

"Well, he's just like my brother--he nearly lives with us. And from
the time that t