I shall ever see, but I do not therefore judge him of having faced death
with the intention of spoiling my life. I shall live in this house and I
shall honour his memory; he died for his country, and I am his widow."

That was all she could say on the subject then, and she could only just
ask Mr. Murray if he could see her again any time the next morning.
After answering that question the lawyer went silently away.

Rose stood by the table where he had sat a moment before, looking long
and steadfastly at the photograph. She looked at the open face, she
looked at the military bearing, she looked at the Victoria Cross,--it
had been the amazing courage shown in that story that had really won
her,--she looked, too, at the many medals. She had been with him once in
a moment of peril in a fire and had seen the unconscious pride with
which he always answered to the call of danger. She had, too, seen him
bear acute pain as if that had been his talent, the thing he knew how to
do.

"Ah, poor David!" she said softly. "What did she do to frighten you?
Poor, poor David, you were always a coward!"




CHAPTER II

IN THE EVENING


But this was a trial to search out every part of Rose's nature. She had