Perhaps she even begged Evalani to marry David, since he had sworn never to give her up; for it was after this talk that she came down and told her mother that Evalani was to marry him the next evening. If that were so, wouldn't the mother want to be told of the self-sacrifice of her child, who could give up the man whom she loved, for his happiness; and then die herself because she could not bear to live and see that happiness? Hasn't the mother a right to the bit of pride which might come to her when she could say to herself, of her daughter, 'Greater love hath no man—'?"
"Do you think that is what happened?" asked Dick, gravely.
Bert tightened her lips. "How does anybody know what happened?" she returned; "But whatever it was, the girl's mother has a right to know absolutely all that there is to be known. Evalani will not answer her letters, and every time that I go there the poor woman asks me if you have done anything—and what can I tell her? And there you are, with all the chance in the world, and you do absolutely nothing."
Dick turned soberly toward the door. "I'll try my best," he said, dubiously, and went out to his car.
Bert followed him. "Don't think that I'm a regular grouch," she pleaded; "Only if you knew what that dear woman suffers, you would understand
