eyes were serious, so serious that Bill
wondered at it. He had never seen them like that before.

"It's dreadful," she said in a low tone. "Dreadful."

Bill jumped at the word.

"Dreadful? My God, it's awful when you think he's my brother, and--and
Kate's your sister. I can't see ahead. I can't see where things
are--are drifting. That's the devil of it. I wish to goodness they'd
given me less beef and more brain," he finished up helplessly.

Helen displayed no inclination to laugh. Somehow now that this simple
man was here, now that the responsibility of him had devolved upon
her, a delightful feeling of gentle motherliness toward him rose up in
her heart, and made her yearn to help him. It was becoming quite easy
to take him seriously.

"P'r'aps it's a good thing you've got all that--beef. P'r'aps it's for
the best, you're so--so strong, and so ready to help. You can't see
ahead. Neither can I. Maybe no one can, but--Fyles. Suppose you and
I were standing at the foot of a cliff--a big, high cliff, very
dangerous, very dreadful, and some one we both loved was climbing its
face, and we saw them reach a point where it looked impossible to go
on, or turn back. What could we do? I'll tell you. We could remain
standing there looking on, praying to Providence that they might get
through, and holding ourselves ready to bear a hand when opportunity
offered, and, failing that, do our utmost to _break their fall_."

Bill's appreciation suddenly illuminated his ingenuous face.

"Say," he cried admiringly. "You've hit it. Sure, we can't climb up
and help. It would mean disaster to both, with no one left to help.
Say, I'm glad I'm big and strong. That's it, we'll stand--by. You'll
think, and I'll do what you tell me. By Jing! That's made everything
different. We'll stand by, and break their fall. I could never have
thought of that--I couldn't, sure."

It was Helen's turn to display enthusiasm. It was an enthusiasm
inspired by her lover's acceptance of her suggestion.

"But we're not going to just watch and watch and do nothing. We must
keep on Fyles's trail. We must keep close behind Charlie, and when we
see the fall coming on we must be ready to thrust out a hand. You
never know, we may beat the whole game in spite of Charlie. We may be
able to save him in spite of himself. No harm must come to Kate
through him. I can't see where it can come, except--that he is mad
about her, and she is mad about--some one else."

"Fyle