She nodded, jaw set. "I would," she declared. "It would kill her!" "Nearly; but not quite. She has too much of her father in her for that. And she must know. It is her right." "And take away her every chance of happiness--and his of redemption." "Her every chance of happiness is gone; as is his for redemption," she said, bitterly. And then: "He should have thought of these things before he did what he did.... There's one thing to be done, and only one. I shall tell her." He remarked, slowly: "The woman's way: To bring suffering where suffering might be spared." She rounded on him, swiftly. "The man's way: to stick to the husband, and deceive the wife.... You men have two codes of ethics--a loose, convenient one for yourselves, a tight, uncompromising one for us. There are no two codes of ethics. Right is right, and wrong is wrong; and there can be no compromise. When a man marries a woman, he owes to that woman every bit as much as she owes to him.... Suppose," she went on, tensely, "that it were Kathryn who had done this thing--who had lied and deceived where she had promised to love and honor. What then? Would you tell the husband, or wouldn't you?" He considered; and said, slowly, positively: "I'd lie like the devil." She whirled about. "You would?" "I would." "Well, I won't. And," she declared, lips tight pressed, jaw tight set, "I shall tell her." Then from the house came Kathryn, happily, gaily. In her hand there was a letter, a letter with a foreign post-mark, a letter that, from its jagged end, had been torn open, with eager hands. "A note from Jack!" she cried. "What does he say?" demanded Elinor, tensely, her lithe fingers interwoven. "Oh, terribly lonely," returned her sister--"trying so hard to finish his work and get back to us. I'm adding a postscript." She seated herself before the writing table. "Do you two want to send any messages?" For a moment--for a long, long moment--did Mrs. VanVorst stand, silent, motionless. All that the thing meant that she was about to do, no one knew better than she. She stood, silent, eyes half closed, hands clenched. Blake watched her, shrewdly. After a long, long time, she took a short step forward. "Kate," she began. "Kate, dear. I have something to tell you." [Illustration] CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO. AGAIN THE FAIRY STORY. Kathryn, busy at her postscript, did not hear. Blake stepped swiftly forward. "No!" he whispered. "No!" Elinor put him aside. "Kate!" she said again. Blake stood for a moment, hesitant. Muriel had come from the house. To her he called. "Come here, little partner." Obediently, she came running to him. He seated himself, and took her upon his lap. "Do you remember the story that I told you a little while ago?" he asked. She nodded.