le situation. Mrs. Ware
had rejoiced in the fact that his life had been spared, but to Phil,
death seemed infinitely preferable to the crippled helpless
half-existence which the future held out for poor Jack.

Of all the young fellows of his acquaintance, he could think of none on
whom such a blow would fall more crushingly. He had counted so much on
his future. Phil got up and began to pace back and forth at the end of
the long studio, his hands in his pockets, recalling the days of their
old intimacy on the desert. Scene after scene came up before him, till
he felt a tightening of the throat that made him set his teeth together
grimly. Then Joyce sat up and began to talk about him brokenly, with
gushes of tears now and then, as one recalls the good traits of those
who have passed out of life.

"He was so little when papa died, but he's tried to take his place in
every way possible, ever since. So unselfish and uncomplaining--always
taking the brunt of everything! _You_ know how it was, Phil. You saw him
a thousand times giving up his own pleasure to make life easier for us.
And it doesn't seem right that just when things were getting where he
could reach out for what he wanted most, it should be snatched away from
him!"

"I wish Daddy were home," sighed Phil. "I'd take him out for a look at
him. I can't believe that it is so hopeless as all that. And anyhow,
I've always felt that Daddy could put me together again if I were all
broken to bits. He has almost performed miracles several times when
everybody else gave the case up. But he won't be back for months and
maybe a whole year."

"Oh, it's no use hoping, when the three best surgeons in Phoenix give
such a report," said Joyce gloomily. "If it was anything but his spine,
it wouldn't be so bad. We've just got to face the situation and
acknowledge that it means he'll be a life-long invalid. And I know he'd
rather have been killed outright."

"And it was just before his accident," said Betty, wiping her eyes,
"that he wrote to me so jubilantly about his plans. He said he couldn't
help being sanguine over them. It was so good to be young and strong and
feel that your muscle was equal to the strain put upon it, and that the
old world looked about all right to him that morning. It is going to be
such a disappointment to him not to be able to send Mary back to
school."

"Poor little Mary!" said Phil. "All this is nearly going to kill her.
She is so completely wrappe