e divined of the hopes he
had left behind. Her own little struggles faded into nothingness in
the shadow of his.

"Yes, you've had a hard life, Dad," she repeated slowly.

"Sentry duty. That's all! A hard life is the soldier's post of
honour," said Father.

He looked far out over the sea as he spoke, and it almost seemed to
Gwen as if his face shone.

There was still one point which Gwen was anxious to elucidate, and
that was the reason of Lesbia's peculiar conduct in the orchard on the
evening of the gymkhana, and where she had obtained the ten and
sixpence of which she had spoken. Lesbia seemed very unwilling to
discuss the subject, but when the two girls were in their bedroom that
night, Gwen held her to the point.

"Oh, Gwen, you've got me in a corner!" protested Lesbia. "I didn't
mean to tell a soul about it, except Kitty Macpherson! Well, if you
must know, this is what happened. One day Kitty brought a copy of _The
Gentlewoman's World_ to school. It had a beauty competition in it, and
she urged me to try my luck, so I sent up my photo--that one which
Aunt Violet had taken of me when I was staying at Greylands. It
actually won a prize, and the magazine sent me a postal order for ten
and sixpence. I didn't dare to tell any of you at home, because I knew
you'd all think me so terribly vain and conceited. Beatrice is
fearfully down on me for that kind of thing, and I knew the boys would
tease, and call me 'Proudie' and 'Madam Conceit'."

Gwen laughed long and heartily. She did not tell her little sister of
the unjust suspicion she had for a short time harboured against her.
The whole affair was so exactly like Lesbia, from the competing for a
beauty prize to the careless taking of wrong change.

"How will you explain your new tennis racket?" she enquired. "Beatrice
will ask where you got the money to buy it."

"I never thought of that. I suppose I shall have to confess, then, and
be labelled 'Miss Vanity'," sighed Lesbia. "It's a ripping racket,
Gwen. It's exactly the same that Kitty Macpherson has. I'll lend it to
you whenever you want it. Are you cross with me for not telling you
before?"

"No, dear; it wasn't such a fearful crime after all," returned Gwen,
half sighing, for Lesbia's secret seemed so much more innocent a one
than her own had been.

CHAPTER XXI

Retribution

Gwen took back the sovereign next morning to Netta, who received it
with amazing coolness.

"An unexpected blessing,"