octor had seen Jack and taken care of his ankle, after the
trained nurse had arrived and been put in charge of the sick room,
Captain Kilmeny made a report to Moya and his sister.

"He's gone to sleep already. The doctor says he'll probably be as well
as ever in a week, thanks to you, Moya."

"Thanks to you, Ned," she amended.

"He sent to you this record of how he spent his time down there--said it
might amuse you."

The Captain looked straight at her as he spoke.

"I'll read it."

"Do. You'll find something on the last page that will interest you. Now,
I'm going to say good-night. It's time little girls were in bed."

He kissed his sister and Moya, rather to the surprise of the latter, for
Captain Kilmeny never insisted upon the rights of a lover. There was
something on his face she did not quite understand. It was as if he were
saying good-by instead of good-night.

She understood it presently. Ned had written a note and pinned it to the
last page of the little book. She read it twice, and then again in
tears. It told her that the soldier had read truly the secret her
anxiety had flaunted in the face of all her friends.

"It's no go, dear girl. You've done your best, but you don't love
me. You never will. Afraid there's no way left but for me to
release you. So you're free again, little sweetheart.

"I know you won't misunderstand. Never in my life have I cared for
you so much as I do to-night. But caring isn't enough. I've had my
chance and couldn't win out. May you have good hunting wherever you
go."

The note was signed "Ned."

Her betrothed had played the game like the gentleman he was to a losing
finish. She knew he would not whimper or complain, that he would meet
her to-morrow cheerfully and easily, hiding even from her the wound in
his heart. He was a better man than his cousin. She could not deny to
herself that his gallantry had a finer edge. His sense of right was
better developed and his courage quite as steady. Ned Kilmeny had won
his V. C. before he was twenty-five. He had carried to a successful
issue one of the most delicate diplomatic missions of recent years.
Everybody conceded that he had a future. If Jack had never appeared on
her horizon she would have married Ned and been to him a loving wife.
But the harum-scarum cousin had made this impossible.

Why? Why had her roving heart gone out to this attractive scamp who did
not want her love or care f