.

"They oughtn't to have told you."

Mrs. Barraclough snorted defiantly.

"Stuff and nonsense. Think I hadn't guessed? After all, a proper man
ought to be in danger. Besides," she added, "he's a good enough
reason, hasn't he?"

"What reason?"

"Doesn't he want to marry you?"

"I know," said Isabel forlornly, "but that would have happened in any
case."

"Don't you be too sure, my dear. Now I'm going to let you into my
confidence--mind I'm only putting two and two together but I'm pretty
sure I've got the total right. Did you know that Tony had put every
penny he possessed into this enterprise?"

Isabel started.

"No. What makes you believe that?"

"Because all I've got is in it too, and he would never ask of me what
he feared to do himself."

"Then you know all about it?"

"Hardly anything."

"But he oughtn't----"

"I think the risks and dangers came afterward."

"Even so," said Isabel, "it's just for money. That's what I hate so."

"Isn't it just for you," said Mrs. Barraclough gently. "Just because
if he failed he wouldn't be able to make you his wife."

"He never told me."

"Of course he didn't. How could he?"

"Are you sure of all this?"

"Practically certain. You see his Uncle Arthur is executor of Tony's
affairs. Executors are not supposed to speak but Uncle Arthur was an
exception who proves the rule."

"For me," said Isabel slowly. "For our marriage--for us. Oh, I'm so
glad it wasn't for cash." A cloud came over her brow. "But it makes
it frightfully difficult for me supposing I had to----"

"What?"

"I mustn't say--even to you."

Mrs. Barraclough didn't press for an answer. She was pleased there was
a little bit of mystery left over.

Isabel kissed the old lady very tenderly and walked out into the rose
garden by herself. There was a glow on her cheeks almost as pink as
the roses themselves. It was a sweet relief that Anthony had gone into
these dangers more for her sake than any other reason and that their
happiness and future rested on his success. In her twenty-one years of
life she had come too much into contact with men whose ruling passion
was the dollar to the exclusion of all else. At the back of her head
the fear had haunted her that Anthony had been bitten by the money
bug--the hateful contagion that straightened and thinned the lips,
chilled the emotions and case-hardened the kindliest natures. But now
that fear was gone to be replaced with gla