She lay for a time picking at the nap of the rough blanket--there were no pillow slips and no pillows. At length she turned to him, her eyes wet. "It's rather hard for a man to understand things like these--hard for a woman to explain them to a stranger she's never seen," said she. "But there wasn't ever any other man. I'm not here on any rebound. It's reason--it's duty. That's all. They keep telling us women we must reason. My brother was all I had left. You see, he didn't have a good foot--he was lame. That was why we lived together so long, and--and there was no one else. And then--you know about my eyes? Of course I didn't know I was going to be quite blind when I started out here. If I had, I should have ended it all." "You're a good man, Doctor," said she presently, since he made no answer. "You didn't tell me your name?" "My name is Allen Barnes. I've been down at the dam for quite a while. I'm only around thirty yet myself. I don't know a lot." "Tell me about the country--it's very beautiful, isn't it?" "Yes, very beautiful." "And the people?" "If you don't marry Sim Gage they'll tar and feather you. If you do, they'll back-bite and hate you. If you get in trouble they'll work their fingers to the bone to take care of you." "There was another thing," she resumed irrelevantly, "I thought it was a _sacrifice_, my coming out here to work. I thought I ought to make it. You see, I'm the only one left of all my family. I couldn't count much anyway." "Donna Quixote!" broke out Allen Barnes. "Oh, I suppose," said she, smiling bitterly. "I suppose that, of course." "This is a terrible thing! I don't believe I can make you change." "No, I suppose not," said she. "My brother went to France, crippled as he was. Do you suppose my duty's going to frighten me? You were in the army?" "Yes," said he. "Mustered out a major. Medical Corps. In over a year--I saw the last days--before Metz and the armistice. I'm a doctor, but they crowd me into the service again now, because they think I'll be safe and useful here. But from what you know about things going on in this country, you know there's danger for any big public work like that plant. Our country's not mopped up, yet--though it's going to be! There must be some reason for suspicion at Headquarters--I think we all might guess why from the doings of the last day or so in here. "I'm glad," said she. "That makes me feel much better. I shall be sorry to have you go away. But you'll not be so far. And you were in the war?" "A little." He laughed, and Mary Warren tried to laugh. Then, hands in pockets, and frowning, he left her, and walked apart in the yard for a time.