ican
expedition to be inside the polar circle, to be up with Duane, and at
least to break even with England. If we can do that we're not afraid of
the result, provided," continued Mr. Campbell, "provided _you_, Mr.
Bennett, are in command. If you consent to make the attempt, only one
point remains to be settled. Congress has failed us. We will give up the
idea of an appropriation. Now, then, and this is particularly what we
want to consult you about, how are we going to raise the twenty thousand
dollars?"

Lloyd rose to her feet.

"You may draw on me for the amount," she said quietly.

Garlock uncrossed his legs and sat up abruptly in the deep-seated chair.
Tremlidge screwed his monocle into his eye and stared, while Campbell
turned about sharply at the sound of Lloyd's voice with a murmur of
astonishment. Bennett alone did not move. As before, he leaned heavily
against the mantelpiece, his hands in his pockets, his head and his huge
shoulders a little bent. Only from under his thick, knotted frown he
shot a swift glance toward his wife. Lloyd paid no attention to the
others. After that one quiet movement that had brought her to her feet
she remained motionless and erect, her hands hanging straight at her
sides, the colour slowly mounting to her cheeks. She met Bennett's
glance and held it steadily, calmly, looking straight into his eyes. She
said no word, but all her love for him, all her hopes of him, all the
fine, strong resolve that, come what would, his career should not be
broken, his ambition should not faint through any weakness of hers, all
her eager sympathy for his great work, all her strong, womanly
encouragement for him to accomplish his destiny spoke to him, and called
to him in that long, earnest look of her dull-blue eyes. Now she was no
longer weak; now she could face the dreary consequences that, for her,
must follow the rousing of his dormant energy; now was no longer the
time for indirect appeal; the screen was down between them. More
eloquent than any spoken words was the calm, steady gaze in which she
held his own.

There was a long silence while husband and wife stood looking deep into
each other's eyes. And then, as a certain slow kindling took place in
his look, Lloyd saw that at last Bennett _understood_.

After that the conference broke up rapidly. Campbell, as the head and
spokesman of the committee, noted the long, significant glance that had
passed between Bennett and Lloyd, and, perh