The thing was grotesque; it was out of the question, Vane told himself
irritably. After all, it is possible to push altruism too far, and for
Margaret, at her age and with her attractions, to go fooling around
with medicine, with the mistaken idea that she was benefiting humanity,
was nothing more or leas than damned twaddle. If she wanted to do
something why not take up her music seriously. .. . .

And it was at this point in his deliberations that a sentence vibrated
across his memory. It was so clear that it might almost have been
spoken in his ear: "If you loved such a life you'd just do it. . . .
And you'd succeed."

Vane folded Margaret's letter, and put it in his pocket. If she really
loved the thought of such a life she would just do it. . . . And she
would succeed. As far as he was concerned there would be nothing more
to say about it; she had a perfect right to decide for herself. She
left him free--that he knew; he could still carry out his hunting box
programme in full. Only he would have to play the part alone--or with
someone else. . . . Someone else. Abruptly he rose from his chair,
and found himself face to face with Lady Patterdale. . . .

"Good morning, Captain Vane," she remarked affably. "'Ad a good night?"

"Splendid, thank you, Lady Patterdale."

"Ain't the news splendid? Marshal Foch seems to be fair making the
'Uns 'um."

Vane laughed. "Yes, they seem to be sitting up and taking notice,
don't they?"

"Sir John is marking it all up in the 'All on the map, with flags,"
continued the worthy old woman. "I can't make 'ead or tail of it all
myself--but my 'usband likes to 'ave everything up to date. 'E can't
form any real opinion on the strategy, he says, unless he knows where
everybody is."

Vane preserved a discreet silence.

"But as I tells 'im," rambled on Lady Patterdale, "it doesn't seem to
me to be of much account where the poor fellows are. You may move a
pin from 'ere to there, and feel all pleased and joyful about it--but
you wouldn't feel so 'appy if you was the pin."

Vane laughed outright. "You've got a way of putting things, Lady
Patterdale, which hits the nail on the head each time."

"Ah! you may laugh, Captain Vane. You may think I'm a silly old woman
who doesn't know what she's talking about. But I've got eyes in my
'ead; and I'm not quite a fool. I've seen young men go out to France
laughing and cheerful; and I've seen 'em come back. They laugh jus