ght of Ruth--at any rate as guest--until he needed her. He had
marked her birthday down in his small pocket-diary, so soon as he
bought it each year, and never failed to send a cheery note, however
busy; and the same at Christmas. Also, when she had written letters
filled with endless details about people he had never met and clearly
should dislike, even if he had not read them all, he left no single one
unanswered. But for the rest, she had her little cottage on the
Norfolk coast and he his little home; so why should either trouble with
the other? Many people sacrificed their life to relatives!

When, however, Helena grew so defiant over this affair which had been
her own fault entirely, he thought at once of Ruth. She had been
always full of doctrines of submission--almost maddeningly so; _she_
saw that women who lived with men who were busy should be considerate,
unselfish. She would not, he knew, approve of Helena's idea that she
should be an author too, neglect her wifely duties and become a rival
to himself. Ruth had been tiresome, certainly, in her persistent
martyrdom, but she had never done a thing like that.

As for Ruth Brett herself, she did not question her brother's command.
There is a lot in habit; besides, she happened to be fond of him. She
took the train, directly she received his wire, and came. She hoped
that it was nothing serious. He might have told her--but he wouldn't
think....

She had met Helena so few times; Hubert had kept them apart in the old
days; but now, so soon as the young wife stepped out into the hall, she
flung herself upon her and cried, "What is it? Is he ill? What has
happened? Quick!"

Helena was overwhelmed. She had rehearsed so many meetings--always
with one idea: to seem at ease in an united home--and none of them of
course was right.

"Oh no, he's all right," she said in confusion. How could she explain?
"He wants to see you first. In there!" And the bewildered Ruth,
scarce entered, still with her umbrella, was thrust at once towards
another door; leaving Helena with the reflection that after all things
had not turned out too badly, even though all the rehearsals had been
absolutely useless.

Hubert jumped up from his table with a cry of welcome.

"But Ruth!" he said, holding her by both arms, "what's happened? I
should not have known you." He did not realise the difference which
changed environment can make in the chameleon, Woman.

"Well, it's