n't go. Then she said she would. I told her it would do her good."

"How's mother been the last two days?"

"Oh! the same. She won't say anything--she confides in nobody."

John looked at his sister and wondered why it was that he had never,
during all these years, considered her as a personality or as anything
actively happy or miserable. She had had, he suddenly supposed, a life
of her own that was, in a way, as acute and sensitive as his and yet he
had never realized this.

He had always taken his mother's word for it that Adela was a dried-up
stick who resented interference; now he was sure that that judgment was
short-sighted, and then, upon this, came criticism of his mother;
therefore, to banish such disloyalty, he said hurriedly:

"I didn't enjoy the Massiters a bit--longed to get away--Sunday was
miserable----"

Adela said--"I never could bear them--John----" she stopped.

"Yes," he said, looking across at her. His large good-tempered eyes met
hers and then the colour mounted very slowly into her cheeks. He had
never seen her agitated before--

"John--" she began again. "I must do something. I can't sit here--just
quietly--going on as though nothing were happening. I know--all one's
life one's stood aside rather, I've never wanted to interfere with
anyone. But now, this war has made one feel differently, I think."

"Well?" said her brother.

"Well--an organization is being formed--women, you know--to help in some
way. They're going to do everything, make clothes, have sales and
concerts and get money together. It's to be a big thing--Nelly Ponsonby,
Clara Raddleton, lots of others.... They've asked me to be on the
committee----"

"Well?" said John, "why not?"

She looked at him appealingly. "Mrs. Bronson's on it too--one of the
originators of it."

"Oh!" John was silent. Here was, indeed, a question. Mrs. Bronson, the
Beaminster arch-enemy. Mrs. Bronson, who had snapped her bejewelled
American fingers at the Duchess--Mrs. Bronson, who called the
Beaminsters the most insulting names. Why, a fortnight ago any alliance
with such a woman was unthinkable, incredible--

"I believe," went on Lady Adela, "that she herself proposed that I
should be asked...."

A fortnight ago ... and now--

John knew that he was glad that Adela wished to join the committee, he
knew that he was closer to Adela now than he had ever been at any moment
during their lives together.

He looked across at her and their eye