ward he would be a helpless cripple. Just as a wild
animal, mortally hurt, seeks solitude in which to die, so Roger's
arrogant, primitive nature refused to tolerate the pity of his fellows.

"Well," queried Barry grudgingly. "If I do see him, what then?"

"You must tell him that Peter is free and make him release Nan from her
engagement. In fact, he must do more than that," she continued
emphatically. "In her present mood Nan would probably decline to
accept her release. He must absolutely _refuse_ to marry her."

"And supposing he doesn't see doing that?"

Kitty's lip curled.

"In the circumstances, I should think that any man who cared for a
woman and who wasn't a moral and physical coward, would see it was the
one and only thing he could do."

Her husband remained silent.

"You'll go, Barry?"

"I don't care for interfering in Trenby's personal affairs. Poor
devil! He's got enough to bear just now!"

Sudden tears filled Kitty's eyes. She pitied Roger from the bottom of
her heart, but she must still fight for the happiness of Nan and Peter.

"I know," she acquiesced unhappily. "But, don't you see, if he doesn't
bear just this, too, Nan will have to endure a twofold burden for the
rest of her life. Oh, Barry!"--choking back a sob--"Don't fail me!
It's a man's job--this. No woman could do it, without making Roger
feel it frightfully. A man so hates to discuss any physical
disablement with a woman. It hurts his pride. He'd rather ignore it."

"But where's the use?" protested Barry. "If Peter is off to-morrow to
the back of beyond, you're still no further on. You've only made
things doubly hard for that poor devil up at the Hall without
accomplishing anything else."

"Peter won't go to-morrow," asserted Kitty. "I've settled that. I
wired him to come down here--I sent the wire the minute after
breakfast. He'll be here to-night."

"Pooh! He'll take no notice of a telegram like that! A man doesn't
upset the whole of his plans to go abroad because a pal in the country
wires him 'to come down'!"

"Precisely. So I worded my wire in a way which will ensure his
coming," replied Kitty, with returning spirit.

Barry looked, at her doubtfully.

"What did you put on it?"

"I said: '_Bad accident here. Come at once_.' I know that will bring
him. . . . And it has the further merit of being the truth!" she added
with a rather shaky little laugh.

"That will certainly bring him," agreed Barr