r her--a fine legacy, a fine
prop for her to lean on. That's the sort of protection she has had all
her life; that's the example set her in her own home. I don't know what
she's done; it's none of my business; but, Duane, I'm for her!"

"So am I."

They stood together in silence for a moment; maudlin sniffles of
self-pity arose from the corner by the fire, alternating with more
hysterical and more ominous sounds presaging some spasmodic crisis.

Grandcourt said: "Bunny Gray has helped me kennel this pup once or
twice. He's in the club; I think I'll send for him."

"You'll need help," nodded Duane. "I'll call up the hospital on my way
to the station. Good-bye, Delancy."

They shook hands and parted.

At the station Duane telephoned to the hospital, got Dr. Bailey,
arranged for a room in a private ward, and had barely time to catch his
train--in fact, he was in such a hurry that he passed by without seeing
the sister of the very man for whom he had been making such significant
arrangements.

She wore, as usual, her pretty chinchilla furs, but was so closely
veiled that he might not have recognised her under any circumstances.
She, however, forgetting that she was veiled, remained uncertain as to
whether his failure to speak to her had been intentional or otherwise.
She had halted, expecting him to speak; now she passed on, cheeks
burning, a faint sinking sensation in her heart.

For she cared a great deal about Duane's friendship; and she was very
unhappy, and morbid and more easily wounded than ever, because somehow
it had come to her ears that rumour was busily hinting things
unthinkable concerning her--nothing definite; yet the very vagueness of
it added to her distress and horror.

Around her silly head trouble was accumulating very fast since Jack
Dysart had come sauntering into her youthful isolation; and in the
beginning it had been what it usually is to lonely hearts--shy and
grateful recognition of a friendship that flattered; fascination, an
infatuation, innocent enough, until the man in the combination awoke her
to the terrors of stranger emotions involving her deeper and deeper
until she lost her head, and he, for the first time in all his career,
lost his coolly selfish caution.

How any rumours concerning herself and him had arisen nobody could
explain. There never is any explanation. But they always arise.

In their small but pretty house, terrible scenes had already occurred
between her and h