And with that he turned away.




II.


Even in the excitement attendant upon their reception at the station
neither Mrs. Rayner nor her sister could entirely recover from the
surprise and pain which the stranger's singular words had caused. So far
from feeling in the least rebuffed, Mrs. Rayner well understood from his
manner that not the faintest discourtesy was intended. There was not a
symptom of rudeness, not a vestige of irritation or haste, in his tone.
Deep embarrassment, inexpressible sadness even, she read in the brief
glimpse she had of his paling face. It was all a mystery to her and to
the girl seated in silence by her side. Both followed him with their
eyes as he hurried away to the rear of the car, and then, with joyous
shouts, three or four burly, fur-enveloped men came bursting in the
front door, and the two ladies, the baby, and the kitten were pounced
upon and surrounded by a group that grew larger every minute. Released
finally from the welcoming embrace of her stalwart husband, Mrs. Rayner
found time to present the other and younger officers to her sister. As
many as half a dozen had followed the captain in his wild rush upon the
car, and, while he and his baby boy were resuming acquaintanceship after
a separation of many long months, Miss Travers found herself the centre
of a circle of young officers who had braved the wintry blizzard in
their eagerness to do her proper homage. Her cheeks were aflame with
excitement and pleasure, her eyes dancing, and despite the fatigue of