, "can't you speak to a
fellow? Jove! what wouldn't I give for a good square look at you! It's
poor work consorting with folk who only exist from the waist downward.
You've not got to be running off anywhere else, have you?"

"No; I am quite free."

"Come on then, for Heaven's sake, dear chap! I have been wanting you
all the morning."

The direct appeal, the pathos of his shattered vigour, and the
irresistible friendliness of words and tone dispelled all possibility
of doubt, or of sitting in judgment. Whatever appearances might
suggest, Paul stood ready to swear, through thick and thin, to the
integrity of his friend.

He came forward at once; and Desmond, cavalierly ousting Rob, made
room for him on the lower end of his chair.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

YOU SHALL NOT--!

"I have very sore shame if like a coward I shrink away from battle.
Moreover, my own soul forbiddeth me."--HOMER.

Quite a little party of a quiet kind assembled in the drawing-room for
tea--Frank Olliver, Mrs Conolly, Wyndham, and his subaltern George
Rivers, a promising probationer of a year's standing. The funeral of
the morning, and anxiety as to the fate of Desmond's eyes, gave a
subdued tone to the attempt at cheerfulness that prevailed. But Evelyn
was grateful even for so mild a reversion to a more normal condition
of things.

Each in turn had paid a short visit to the wounded hero in the study;
but now they were grouped round the tea-table, leaving him temporarily
alone. Evelyn had just filled his cup; and being in no mood to
interrupt her exchange of light-hearted nothings with George Rivers,
she glanced across at Wyndham, who promptly understood the situation
and the mute request.

Honor, standing apart from the rest, noted the characteristic bit of
by-play, and with a pang of envy watched Paul receive the cup and
plate destined for Theo's room. It seemed a century since she had left
him in the morning, with words wrung from her bitterness of heart and
regretted as soon as they were uttered; and because of the longing,
that would not be stifled, she refrained from the offer that came
instinctively to her lips.

But, as if drawn by the magnetism of her thoughts, Paul came straight
up to her.

"Won't you take these yourself?" he said in a low tone. "He has seen
plenty of me this afternoon; and when I spoke of you just now he said
you had not been near him since breakfast. Is that your notion of
taking charge of a