She felt herself grow pale. “My dear——” “It’s a great stunt,” he said exultantly. “Northby has got an Army Corps. He wants me on his staff. I’m going out as the Brainy One, with a step in rank. Old man Widdowes talked to me as if I were an infant Haig. You could have knocked me down with a bunch of straw.” “I’m so glad, dear. I’m so glad you’ve got what you want.” “My God, yes!” said he, all aglow. “It’s the best thing a one-footed cripple has done up to now. The W.O. isn’t the real thing. Out there it is. As soon as I met you, I swore I’d make good. To be worthy of you, if such a thing is possible.” “I’m a proud woman,” said Lady Edna. “But I don’t understand—General Northby—I never heard——” “Of course you didn’t. Neither did I. It was all secrecy and suddenness.” He explained roughly the circumstances. “And when do you go out?” “In three days’ time. I’m on leave till then.” “Three days?” She looked at him aghast. “And then you go away indefinitely?” She paused, drew a long breath or two, and sank limply into a chair. He looked at her rather wonderingly. “What about me, Godfrey?” In the gratification of his wildest boyish ambitions he had forgotten her woman’s point of view. He had expected her to share his elation. Remorseful, he bent quickly over her, reddening and stammering. He was a selfish brute. Did he really matter so much to her? If she would but say the word, he would go straight back and refuse the appointment. “Don’t talk like a child,” she said. “If you did such a thing, we should despise each other for the rest of our lives. But three days—only three days! And I’m at my wits’ end with unhappiness.” He sank lover-like by her side and took her hand. What was wrong? “Have you seen _The Morning Gazette?_” He laughed. “Oh yes! There’s a hell of a hullabaloo! But the beauty of it is, that the whole thing went fut three or four days ago. I can’t tell you why. We’re working out quite a different plan. All the same, there’s loud cursing in the camp.” He looked at her with one of his swift man’s glances. “Of course, dearest—I’m bound to ask—you never breathed a word to anybody of what I told you?” “Not a word.” “And you destroyed that paper at once?” “Of course.” The lie was out before she realized it. Well, it didn’t matter. The thing was obsolete. She would tear it up. No. She wouldn’t. She still had to wage her war against her husband, with the aid of Sir Berkeley Prynne, and the document would be of great value. “It was he who gave it away to the editor of _The Morning Gazette_,” she said, vindictively. “But how the deuce could he have known?” asked Godfrey. “These things are dead secrets. They never go beyond the Army Council.” “He did know, anyhow. I’ve not seen you since. I’ve a lot to tell you.” She told him. He scrambled to his feet. “My God! what a swine! You must leave him.” “I’m going to. I’m going to hound him out of public life.” “And then?” “It’s for you to say.”