eclaration of war had been dragged out of its
context, and had figured, weeks later, in the London papers. As a result
he had had many cruel anonymous letters, and, what had been harder to
bear, reproaches from old and tried friends.

But what was far, far worse to the Dean than these mosquito bites was
the fact that his own darling child, Edith, could not forgive him for
having had so many German friends in the old days. Her great loss, which
in theory should have softened her, had had just the opposite effect. It
had made her bitter, bitter; and during the weeks which had followed the
receipt of the fatal news she had hardly spoken to her father. This was
the more unreasonable--nay, the more cruel--of her inasmuch as it had
been her mother, to whom she now clung, who had so decidedly set her
face against the hasty marriage which poor Edith was now always
regretting had not taken place.

But if the Dean's congratulations were saddened by his own melancholy
situation, those of the Robeys were clear and sunshiny. They knew Jervis
Blake, and they regarded Rose as a very lucky girl. They also knew
Rose, and they regarded Jervis Blake as a very lucky man.

True, Mrs. Robey, when alone with her husband after first hearing the
news, had said, rather nervously, "I hope more than ever _now_ that
nothing will happen to dear Jervis!" And he had turned on her almost
with ferocity: "Happen to Jervis? Of course nothing will happen to
Jervis! As I've often told you, it's the impulsive, reckless boys who
get killed--not born soldiers, like Jervis. He knows that his life is
now valuable to his country, and you may be sure that he takes all
reasonable precautions to preserve it."

And as she did not answer at once, he had gone on hurriedly: "Of course
one can't tell; we may see his name in the list of casualties to-morrow
morning! But if I were you, my dear, I should not build a bridge to meet
trouble!"

As a matter of fact Mrs. Robey had no time to waste on such an
unprofitable occupation. Her brother-in-law, the great surgeon, Sir
Jacques Robey, and all his best nurses had been now waiting for quite a
long time for wounded who never came; and it required a good deal of
diplomacy and tact on Mrs. Robey's part to keep them all in a good
humour, and on fairly pleasant terms with her own original household.

* * * * *

Rose's engagement was now ten days old, and she was about to start for
her visit t