slowness of his recovery。 Anything to get out of that house！ She treated him as he would have scorned to treat an invalid dog who had taken refuge in his stable。
All this came slowly。 For two endless weeks； Weldon lay unconscious。 For two more endless weeks； he raved in delirium。 Happily； his nurse was a discreet woman。 She discouraged the visits of Mrs。 Dent and her husband； offered the excuse that strange faces excited the invalid； and only admitted them during his brief intervals of sleep。 Meanwhile； she used all her professional principles to keep herself from trying to solve the problem before her eyes。 Upstairs was a man sick unto death； a man who raved ceaselessly of the daughter of the house。 Downstairs； the daughter of the house was going her accustomed way； with never a question in regard to the man above。 What had happened？ How； if anything had happened； how did he chance to be in that home； with Mrs。 Dent as his devoted and anxious slave？ Resolutely； she fell to studying her temperature charts。 Her specialty was fever； not heart disease。
A week after the tide had turned； Carew had been allowed to spend a short half…hour with the invalid。 The next day； by advice of the nurse； Mr。 Dent telephoned to him to come again。 Something； whether in his personality or in his talk； had been of tonic power over Weldon。 It seemed wise to repeat the experiment。
Carew came on the heels of his own voice through the telephone； and his face was smiling broadly； as he went leaping up the stairs。 After all； it had not been in vain； his quixotic lingering in Cape Town for a weary month after receiving his discharge。 Weldon and he had been good friends through thick and thin； it would have been beastly to leave him。 And now； after all these useless weeks； he could at least do something to lighten the convalescence。 Moreover； Carew's pocket held three letters； received that very noon； one of grudging approval from his son…sick mother； one of chaotic； but heartfelt thanks from Mrs。 Weldon； and the third one an affirmative answer to a telegram he had sent to Alice Mellen； only the night before。 He went into Weldon's room； looking； as he felt； the embodiment of happiness and health。
He hailed Weldon from the threshold。 Tidings like his could wait during no interchange of mere conventional greetings。 Weldon heard him to the end； congratulated him； demanded the repetition of all the details。 Then； when Carew's excitement had quite spent itself； Weldon drew a letter from underneath his pillow。
〃It came； this morning；〃 he added laconically。
Carew seized the letter and ran his eye down the page。 Then his face lighted。
〃Nunc dimittis！〃 he said piously。 〃It's sure to be yours！ Have you told Miss Dent？〃
〃I've not seen Miss Dent。〃
Carew's face fell。
〃Not yet？ But you will。 And then you will tell her？〃
Weldon's lips straightened into a thin line。 He shook his head。
〃But she ought to know。〃
〃Why？〃
〃It is her right。〃
〃Why？〃 Weldon asked again。
〃Becauseit is。 It might make some difference in〃
Weldon stopped him abruptly。
〃It could make no difference； Carew。 In facing the main question； such things as that don't count。 Even if they did； though；〃 he rose on his elbow and faced his friend steadily； 〃even if they did； I would never consent to try to bribe a girl into loving me； by telling her I had won the V。 C。 It will be time enough for Miss Dent to hear of it； when it is given。〃
〃But you will be in England then；〃 Carew objected practically。
Weldon lay down again and drew the sheet upward till its shadow lay across his lips。
〃What matter？〃 he answered slowly。 〃And； besides； Miss Dent isn't the girl to be won in any such way as that。 Hers is a love to be given； not bought。〃
Half an hour later； Carew met Ethel on the stairs。 As he halted to speak to her； he was shocked at the look in her face。 The lips were smiling； but the eyes were the eyes of a hunted animal。
〃So long since we have met！〃 he said； as he took her hand。 〃And so much has happened。〃
〃Yes。 I have been hoping to congratulate you；〃 she answered。
〃It was a stunning letter you wrote me；〃 he said boyishly。 〃I suppose we are cousins now。〃
Then there came a little pause。 Before either of them quite realized it； the pause had lengthened until it was hard to break。
〃I have been up to see the invalid；〃 he blurted out at last。
〃How is he？〃 the girl inquired courteously。
〃Better。〃 Then a sudden note of resentment crept into Carew's honest voice。 〃He is counting the days now before he can be moved。 He says your mother has been wonderfully good to him。〃
The girl stood aside to let Carew pass her by。
〃She is good to everybody；〃 she assented quietly。 〃I hope Mr。 Weldon won't think of going away until he can be moved with perfect safety。 It is really no trouble to have him here； and the nurse is very capable。〃
And Carew bowed in agreement。 Once outside the door； however； he freed his mind； tersely and with vigor。
〃Damn the nurse！〃 he said to the oak tree； as he passed it。
CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX
〃There's a true Heart in the West World； that is beating still for me； Ever praying in the twilight once again my face to see。 Oh； the World is good and gladsome； with its Love both East and West； But there's ever one love only that is still the First and Best。〃
The low voice died away。 A moment later； Ethel Dent pushed open one of the long windows of the drawing…room and stepped out on the veranda。 The flower…boxes were filled with limp stalks； chilled by the frost of the previous night； but the sun lay warm over the wide； white steps； over the lawn and over the bay beyond。 She stood for a moment； staring thoughtfully out across the bay； then she moved on to the western end of the veranda； looked up at Table Mountain with its cloth of cloud； and then dropped down into one of the chairs which still remained in the sunny corner。
That corner held many memories for her。 She had sought it now unconsciously； yet； once there； she lingered； although for weeks past she had been seeking to banish those memories from her life。 Why keep them？ They belonged to a chapter that was dead and gone。 Better to seal its pages and never break the seal。 Better never to reread what had been written there。 If she had been mistaken in giving her love where it was not desired； not only should the world never be aware of the fact； but she herself would ignore the existence of that mistake。 She had loved Weldon with all the energy of her headstrong； girlish nature。 She had supposed that he had loved her in return。 Instead of that； he had gone away and left her without a word； just when her need for him was the greatest。 No man in his senses could have seen the agony of that last hour she had spent with Captain Frazer； and failed to understand the pitiful； appealing look she had cast upon him。 Unable to escape the agony； she had given this tacit call to Weldon to share it with her； to understand； and to forgive。 She had been sure she could trust him； but it was evident that she had trusted him in vain。 In the hour of her supremest need； he had gone away and left her alone。 No man who cared for her could have forsaken her in such a crisis as that。 Her lips curved into a hard little smile； as she sat rocking to and fro in the sunshine； and； going back over a past which she had rarely allowed herself to reopen。
And afterwards？ Afterwards Fate had been all against her。 It had been easy to escape from her engagement at Johannesburg； comparatively easy to shut the past experience into the inner places of her mind； to close her lips with the show of a smile； and to plunge into a whirl of social life which should leave her no time for quiet thought。 So long as she kept her secret to herself； it mattered nothing to the girl that it was eating pitilessly at her vitality； that it was ever hard and harder for her to keep up her ceaseless round of gayety。
And then； all at once； their home life had been invaded by the man who was never absent from her thoughts。 In a sense； she was glad of the invasion。 It proved to her； more surely than any words could have done； that she had kept her secret well and beyond suspicion。 Had her mother gained any inkling of the true state of the case； Harvard Weldon would never have been brought away from the room at the Grand。 For so much surety； Ethel Dent could rejoice with a thankful heart。 Nevertheless； as the days passed by； Weldon's presence in the house increased the strain tenfold。 Night after night； Ethel had crept noiselessly from her room across the hallway and crouched outside his door； listening for any sounds from within which might tell her that all was well with the man whom she would not see。 Day after day； she forced her life to run along in its usual grooves； going out of the house with a laugh on her lips and； in her heart； the sickening dread of the tidings which might greet her upon her return。 Again and again； as she passed the door left open during the nurse's temporary absence from the room； she put forth all her strength to keep herself from stealing in； to look just once on the unconscious face of the man who had made her whole life。 But she held herself in check；