yed with Muriel for her way of
receiving the story. "He did not say so, but it was easy to guess the
truth. Now, my dear, don't be absurd. Men are not angels; and if a
pretty woman flings herself at the head of one of them it's hard for
him to keep her at arm's length. And you've seen yourself in Darjeeling
how some of them, the married ones especially, do chase them." Her eyes
grew hard as she continued, "I remember how Kevin once was----." Then
she stopped.

"But Frank! How could he? Oh, how could he? And he loved her," sobbed
the girl.

"Don't be silly, Muriel. I tell you I don't believe he ever did. He
loves you now."

"Oh, do you think he does? What am I to do?"

"Nothing. Merely go along as you've been doing. Just be friendly. And
don't be hard on him. He's had a bad time. I've always felt that there
was something troubling him. Now I know; and I'm not going to let him
ruin himself and throw away his happiness for a woman who's not worth
it. He's the nicest, cleanest-minded man I've known after Kevin and my
brother. He saved my babies, and for that I'd do anything for him. I
feel almost as if he were one of my children; and I'll stand by him if
you won't."

"Oh, but I will, I will," cried the girl. "But how can I help him?"

"As I said, by acting as if nothing had happened and just keeping on
being friends. It oughtn't to be hard. See how he's suffering and think
how brave he's been. Remember, he loves you; and you do care for him,
don't you? I've an idea that he hopes that this woman is tiring of him
and may set him free. Of course he didn't say as much, but----." She
nodded sagely. Her intuition had told her more of his feelings in a
minute than Frank had dared to acknowledge to himself in many months.
"Anything I can do to help to bring that about I will."

The days went by; and Wargrave, aided by his clean living, the devoted
nursing that he received, and the cool, healthy mountain air, began to
mend. Major Hunt had recovered and returned to duty, relieving the
officer sent from Headquarters to command during his illness. Colonel
Dermot had come back from Simla with Frank's appointment to the
Political Department as his assistant in his pocket. The murdered man
had long ago been laid to rest by his comrades; but his slayer still sat
fettered in the one cell of the Fort awaiting the assembling of the
General Court Martial for his trial, and seeing from his barred window
the even routine of the life tha