lasped her hands listlessly on her knee, and said nothing.

'Are you quite sure Sarratt has been in it?' he asked her.

'Oh, yes, I'm sure.'

There was a dull conviction in her voice. She began to pluck at the
grass beside her, while her dark contracted eyes swept the Lake in front
of her--seeing nothing.

'Good God!'--thought Farrell--'Are they all--all the women--suffering
like this?'

'You'll get a telegram from him to-morrow, I'm certain you will!' he
said, with eager kindness. 'Try and look forward to it. You know the
good chances are five to one.'

'Not for a lieutenant,' she said, under her breath. 'They have to lead
their men. They can't think of their own lives.'

There was silence a little. Then Farrell said--floundering, 'He'd want
you to bear up!'

'I am bearing up!' she said quickly, a little resentfully.

'Yes, indeed you are!' He touched her arm a moment caressingly, as
though in apology. It was natural to his emotional temperament to
express itself so--through physical gesture. But Nelly disliked the
touch.

'I only meant'--Farrell continued, anxiously--'that he would beg you
not to anticipate trouble--not to go to meet it.'

She summoned smiles, altering her position a little, and drawing a wrap
round her. The delicate arm was no longer within his reach.

And restlessly she began to talk of other things--the conscientious
objectors of the morning--Zeppelins--a recruiting meeting at Ambleside.
Farrell had the impression of a wounded creature that could not bear to
be touched; and it was something new to his prevailing sense of power in
life, to be made to realise that he could do nothing. His sympathy
seemed to alienate her; and he felt much distressed and rebuffed.

* * * * *

Meanwhile as the clouds cleared away from the September afternoon,
Marsworth and Cicely were strolling along the Lake, and sparring as
usual.

He had communicated to her his intention of leaving Carton within a week
or so, and trying some fresh treatment in London.

'You're tired of us?' she enquired, her head very much in air.

'Not at all. But I think I might do a bit of work.'

'The doctors don't think so.'

'Ah, well--when a man's got to my stage, he must make experiments on his
own. It won't be France--I know that. But there's lots else.'

'You'll break down in a week!' she said with energy. 'I had a talk
about you with Seaton yesterday.'

He looked at her with amuseme