gly.

"You mean you love Arnold; that only duty held you to me?"

"Yes."

"Well, by God!" Northrup flung his head back and laughed--"and after
all I have been fearing, too!"

To her dying day Kathryn never knew what he meant by those words.
There was a moment's silence, then Northrup spoke again:

"I don't think there is anything more to say. Shall I take the side
entrance?"

Outside, the summer night was growing sultry; a sound of thunder broke
the heavy quiet of the dark street--it brought back memories that were
evil things to remember just then.

"Good God!" Northrup thought, "we're coming back to all kinds of
hells."

He was bitter and cynical. He hardly took into account, in that hard
moment, the feeling of release; all his foregone conclusions, his
stern resolves, had been battered down. He had got his discharge with
nothing to turn to.

In this mood he reached home. More than anything he wanted to be by
himself--but his mother's bedroom door was open and he saw her sitting
by the window, watching the flashes of heat lightning.

He went in and stood near her.

"I've about concluded," he said harshly, "that the fellows who keep to
the herd are the sensible ones."

The words conveyed no meaning to Helen Northrup, but the tones did.

"Sit down, dear," she said calmly. "If this shower strikes us, I do
not want to be alone."

Northrup drew a chair to the window and the red flashes lighted his
face luridly.

"Having ideals is rot. Dying for them, madness. Mother, it's all over
between Kathryn and me!"

Helen's own development had done more for her than she would ever
realize, but from out its strength and security she spoke:

"Brace, I am glad! Now you can live your ideals."

Northrup turned sharply.

"What do you mean?" he said.

"Oh! we've all been so stupid; so blind. Seeing the false and calling
it the truth. Being afraid; not daring to let go. My work has set me
free, son. Lately I have seen the girl that Kathryn _really_ is,
looming dark over the girl she made us believe she was. I have feared
for you, but now I am glad. Brace, there _are_ women a man can count
on. Cling hold of that."

"Yes, I know that, of course."

"Women whose honour is as high and clear as that of the best of men."

"Yes, Mother."

Helen looked at the relaxed form close to her. She yearned to confide
fully in him, tell him how she had guarded his interests while he
fared afar from her. She thought of Mary-Cl