ell that young man, in your own
way, to sit tight and put his trust in the Lord."

Gerald's nervous laughter for a moment got the better of him. He covered
his face to check it, then, tearing away his hands, made the gesture of
releasing a pack of tugging hounds too strong for him to hold. Let them
be off and at the devil!

"I didn't come here looking for comfort, dear Mrs. Hawthorne. Your
optimism is constitutional, you know, rather than enlightened. I merely
came to tell my accomplice the result of our meddling with destiny.
'Accomplice' is a manner of speaking. Don't suppose I forget that I
alone am to blame. Good night. I must go back to him where I left him,
with his head among the stars and clouds, and his feet perhaps beginning
to burn already with the heat of the nether fire. As you say, 'let's be
cheerful, let's hope for the best!' Ha!"

CHAPTER IX

Brenda, reaching home after the ball, had asked her parents to hear a
thing she must tell them, and, very pale, informed them of the manner in
which she had taken the direction of her life into her own hands. At the
sight of their faces something had melted within her; she had trusted to
them at last all that was in her heart, so that father and mother,
greatly moved, felt as if they had found their child again rather than
lost her. At the almost incredible spectacle of tears in her father's
eyes Brenda had crept into his arms, against his breast, and lain there
so still, so silent, that it seemed unnatural. They perceived that she
had fainted.

She left for America on the date that had been set, but a term was fixed
for her visit; April was to see her back in Florence.

Her engagement was not announced. Mr. Foss, talking of it with his wife,
expressed liking and respect for their prospective son-in-law. His
confidence in the man had been increased by an action that seemed to him
quite in the American spirit. No doubt Giglioli would prove a good
business man, just as he had been a good soldier, the chief requisites
in all walks of life being a clear head, a heart in its place, and the
will to work.

Mrs. Foss was secretly unhappy during these conversations. The model
wife had never before kept anything from her husband nor taken any step
without his sanction, and she was ashamed now of the duplicity she was
forced to practice. She strengthened herself by the assurance that in so
doing she was really sparing Jerome, saving him possible moments of
ind