u!"

The possibility was a novel one. Roger considered it carefully, for a
moment. "By Jove, you will!" he cried finally. "I'll be hanged if you
won't," he added with enthusiasm. He wondered why the tears seemed to
well the faster in his sister's eyes.

CHAPTER III

"YOU DON'T KNOW MR. IMRIE"

The news of Judith's "mad whim" spread rapidly through Braeburn, and
various were the comments it evoked. For the most part they savoured of
condolence, although there was some sentimental approbation for what was
characterised by one enthusiast as the "nobility" of her course. This
had its effect upon Roger, and in time, he also came to feel admiration
for her, and then, as a natural consequence of his own participation in
the affair, he came to feel an admiration for himself. From out and out
hostility to the idea, therefore, he changed insensibly to ardent and
voluble sympathy.

At first Judith had admitted to herself quite frankly that the situation
bore possibilities of annoyance. Aside from her guest's potentially
dangerous familiarity with her daily life, she sensed in him a certain
lack of knowledge--or at least of observance--of those social amenities
upon which her training, more than her instinct, let her to place
considerable emphasis. It was with this feeling of an unbridgeable gulf
between them, that she approached their first meeting after the
accident. And it was with no little embarrassment, therefore, that she
entered his room.

The lines of pain had disappeared from his face, and the removal of the
stubble which had covered his chin when they had had their first
encounter, together with his rest, and--though she did not suspect
that--several meals much more bounteous than those to which he was
accustomed, had improved his appearance surprisingly. He greeted her
unaffectedly.

"Hello," he said. "I've been waiting to see you. I can't begin to tell
you how grateful I am for--all this."

"And I," she cried, "can't begin to tell you how sorry I am that it all
happened. I...."

"Well, then," he said with a smile which revealed two rows of strong,
even and very white teeth, "let's not either of us try."

That seemed to break the ice, and because he appeared to feel no
embarrassment, she found that hers had quite left her. Before she
realised it, the morning was well advanced, and when she left him it was
with a curious feeling that they had known each other for years and
years ... very well.

An