llowing his selfish ends, Kathryn had stood guard
over all that was sacred to him. He had never before realized the
strength and purpose of the pretty child near him. He reached out and
laid his hand on the bowed head.

"No, dear, that was it. Your mother would not let me--she thought only
of you; you must not be worried, just now--oh! you know how she is!
But, dearest, she has had, for years, a strange and dreadful pain. It
does not come often, but when it does, it is very, very bad--it comes
mostly at night--so she has been able to hide it from you; the day
following she always spoke of it as a headache--you know how we have
sympathized with her--but never were alarmed?"

Northrup nodded. He recalled those headaches.

"Well, a week ago she called me to come to her--she really looked
quite terrible, Brace. I was so frightened, but of course I had to
hide my feelings. She says--oh! Brace, she says there is--way back in
the family----"

"Nonsense!" Northrup got up and paced the floor. "Manly has told me
that was sheer nonsense. Go on, Kathryn."

"Well, dear, she was weak and _so_ pitiful and she--she confided
things to me that I am sure she would not have, had she been her
brave, dear self."

"What kind of things?"

It was horrible, but Northrup was conscious of being in a net where
the meshes were wide enough to permit of his seeing freedom but
utterly cutting him off from it.

What he had subconsciously hoped the night before, what his underlying
strength had been founded upon, he would never be able to know, for
now he felt every line of escape from, heaven knew what, closing upon
him; permitting no choice, wiping out all the security of happiness;
leaving--chaff. For a moment, he forgot the question he had just
asked, but Kathryn was struggling to answer it.

"About you and me, Brace. Oh! help me. It is so hard; so hard, dear,
to tell you, but you must realize that because of the things she said,
I estimated the seriousness of her condition and I cannot spare
myself! Brace, she knows that you and I--have been putting off our
marriage because of her!"

There was one mad moment when Northrup felt he was going to laugh; but
instantly the desire fled and ended in something approaching a groan.

"Go on!" he said quietly, and resumed his seat by the fire.

"I think we have been careless rather than thoughtful, dear. Older
people can be hurt by such kindness--if they are wonderful and proud
like your mother.