hen she went up, he came out of his
study, followed to her room, and insisted on lighting her fire. Kissing
her at the door, he said very quietly:

"I wish I could be a mother to you, my child!"

For a moment it flashed through Noel: 'He knows!' then, by the puzzled
look on his face, she knew that he did not. If only he did know; what
a weight it would be off her mind! But she answered quietly too; "Good
night, Daddy dear!" kissed him, and shut the door.

She sat down before the little new fire, and spread her hands out to it;
all was so cold and wintry in her heart. And the firelight flickered on
her face, where shadows lay thick under her eyes, for all the roundness
of her cheeks, and on her slim pale hands, and the supple grace of her
young body. And out in the night, clouds raced over the moon, which had
come full once more.

VI

1

Pierson went back to his study, and wrote to Gratian.

"If you can get leave for a few days, my dear, I want you at home. I am
troubled about Nollie. Ever since that disaster happened to her she has
been getting paler; and to-day she fainted. She won't see a doctor, but
perhaps you could get her to see George. If you come up, he will surely
be able to run up to us for a day or two. If not, you must take her
down to him at the sea. I have just seen the news of your second cousin
Charlie Pierson's death; he was killed in one of the last attacks on
the Somme; he was nephew of my cousin Leila whom, as you know, Noel sees
every day at her hospital. Bertram has the D. S. O. I have been less
hard-pressed lately; Lauder has been home on leave and has taken some
Services for me. And now the colder weather has come, I am feeling much
fresher. Try your best to come. I am seriously concerned for our beloved
child.

"Your affectionate father

"EDWARD PIERSON."

Gratian answered that she could get week-end leave, and would come on
Friday. He met her at the station, and they drove thence straight to the
hospital, to pick up Noel. Leila came to them in the waiting-room, and
Pierson, thinking they would talk more freely about Noel's health if
he left them alone, went into the recreation room, and stood watching
a game of bagatelle between two convalescents. When he returned to the
little sitting-room they were still standing by the hearth, talking in
low voices. Gratian must surely have been stooping over the fire, for
her face was red, almost swollen, and her eyes looked as if s