men. It is an awful weight that you are
carrying on your shoulders, Mr. Weldon."

"If it grows too heavy, I will slide some of it off on your own," he
returned, as he picked up his hat and rose to his feet. "Your
responsibility is back of mine, Miss Dent. It was you who advised me
to stay in South Africa."

"Not at all. I presented the case and kept my advice to myself," she
rebelled promptly.

"Certain presentments are stronger than much advising."

"Perhaps. But in the end, you remember, I commended your soul to
Captain Frazer's keeping."

He bowed with the odd, old-fashioned deference which it pleased him
to assume at times. "Captain Frazer may have saved it; but it may
have been you who made it worth his efforts at salvation."

She laughed again. Nevertheless, her eyes showed her pleasure.

"Then we, Captain Frazer and I, must divide the responsibility for
your future," she replied. "In any case, may it be all good!"

The drapery fell backward over his departing figure, and, for an
instant, Ethel stood staring at the swaying folds. Then, turning,
she walked back to the fire.

"All good," she repeated. "I know you echo the wish, Captain Frazer.
But--isn't it hard to say good by?"

"In these days most of all," he assented slowly. "And one never can
tell when his own turn may come."

"Nor what its end may be," she added. Then impetuously she rose
again and moved up and down the room. "Look at that sunshine
outside, Captain Frazer," she said restlessly. "It ought to forbid
any such gloomy moods. I believe all this war and so many partings
are spoiling my nerve. I really feel quite blue, to-day; and Mr.
Weldon made it worse."

"By saying good by?"

Glancing up, she was astonished at the wishful, hungry look in the
blue eyes before her. "Yes, a little," she said lightly; "for I hate
the very word. But, if it must be spoken, it should always be short
and staccato. Instead, he sat here, and we talked about Fate and
wounds and all sorts of direful things." She shook herself and
shivered slightly. Then she sat down in the chair which Weldon had
just left vacant. "It is bad manners to have nerves, Captain Frazer.
Forgive me first, and then tell me something altogether flippant, to
make me forget things."

But her mood had caught the Captain in its grasp.

"Are you sure you want to forget?" he asked her gravely.

"Yes," she made vehement answer. "Always!"

But not even her decided answer brought back the