eatest of all
miseries, the desire of an obvious impossibility--even with this she
was happier than he; because she loved him and she saw him daily getting
stronger; because their relative positions brought out the best and the
least romantic part of a woman's love--the subtle maternity of it. There
is a fine romance in carrying our lady's kerchief in an inner pocket,
but there is something higher and greater and much more durable in
the darning of a sock; for within the handkerchief there is chiefly
gratified vanity, while within the sock there is one of those small
infantile boots which have but little meaning for us.

Jocelyn entered the drawing-room with a smile.

"He is very pleased," she said. "He does not seem to want to see you any
more, and he told me to be inhospitable."

"As how?"

"He told me to turn you out. You are to leave by the next steamer."

He felt a sudden unaccountable pang of disappointment at her smiling
eyes.

"This is no joking matter," he said half seriously. "Am I really as well
as that?"

"Yes."

"The worst of it is that you seem rather pleased."

"I am--at the thought that you are so much better." She paused and
turned quite away, busying herself with a pile of books and magazines.
"The other," she went on too indifferently, "was unfortunately to be
foreseen. It is the necessary drawback."

He rose suddenly and walked to the window.

"The grim old necessary drawback," he said, without looking towards her.

There was a silence of some duration. Neither of them seemed to be able
to find a method of breaking it without awkwardness. It was she who
spoke at last.

"He also said," she observed in a practical way, "that you must not come
out to Africa again."

He turned as if he had been stung.

"Did he make use of that particular word?" he asked.

"Which particular word?"

"Must."

Jocelyn had not foreseen the possibility that the doctor was merely
repeating to her what he had told Jack on a previous visit.

"No," she answered. "I think he said 'better not.'"

"And you make it into 'must.'"

She laughed, with a sudden light-heartedness which remained unexplained.

"Because I know you both," she answered. "For him 'better not' stands
for 'must.' With you 'better not' means 'doesn't matter.'"

"'Better not' is so weak that if one pits duty against it it collapses.
I cannot leave Oscard in the lurch, especially after his prompt action
in coming to my relief."

"Yes,"