s behind, she must not be so cowardly, so ignobly
inconsistent as to refuse the hurts coming to her through others who
would dare. Through the conflict of many emotions, out of much misery,
she at last wrenched from a sore heart the admission that Wayne had as
much right to be "free" as she had. That if Ann had a right to happiness
at all--and she had always granted her that--she had a right to this. It
was only that now it was she who must pay a price for it. And perhaps
some one always paid a price.

"Ann?"

Ann looked up into Katie's colorless, twitching face.

"I hope you and Wayne will be very happy." It came steadily, and with an
attempted smile.

The next instant she was sobbing, but trying at the same time to tell Ann
that sisters always acted that way when told of their brothers'
engagements.

CHAPTER XXXIX

She did not see her brother until evening. "Katie," he demanded sharply,
"have you been disagreeable to Ann?"

She shook her head. "I haven't meant to be, Wayne."

Her face was so wretched that he grew contrite. "You're not pleased?"

"Why, Wayne, you can scarcely expect me to be--wholly pleased, can you?"

"But you always seemed to understand so well. I"--he paused in that
constraint there so often was between them in things delicately
intimate--"I've never told you, Katie, how fine I thought you were. So
big about it."

"It's not so difficult," said Kate, with a touch of her old smile, "to be
'big' about people who aren't marrying into the family."

It seemed that he, too, was not above cornering her. "You know, Katie, it
was your attitude in the beginning that--"

"Just don't bother calling my attention to that, Wayne," she said
sharply. "Please credit me with the intelligence to see it for myself."

Then she went right to the heart of it. "Oh Wayne--think of Major
Barrett's _knowing_."

The dull red that came quickly to his face told how bitterly he had
thought of it, though he only said quietly: "Damn Barrett."

"But you can't damn him. Suppose you were to be stationed at the
same place!"

He laughed shortly. "Well that, at least, is something upon which I can
set your fears at rest."

She looked up quickly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Katie, that my army days are over."

She stared at him. "I don't understand you."

"It shouldn't be so difficult to comprehend. I have resigned my
commission."

"Wayne," she asked slowly, "what do you mean?"

"Just what I say. Tha