She threw open the door and the rain and wind whirled in her face, and out of the wet and the darkness emerged a tall figure in a long khaki overcoat and a Highland bonnet. The bonnet came off immediately, and the soldier said in a soft Highland accent, "Good evening, Christine." "Oh, Gavin," she cried in surprise, and a sudden unreasonable joy. "Is it really you? Come away in. Are you wet?" But Gavin still stood in the doorway. "No, I cannot come in," he said hurriedly; "Hughie is waiting for me at the gate. He is taking me into Algonquin." Christina looked past him into the darkness. "To Algonquin! Oh, Gavin, you're not called away are you?" "Yes, the Battalion is ordered to Halifax, we will likely be sailing at once. I did not know till this morning; and I--" his voice dropped to a whisper, "I just couldn't go away without saying good-bye to you, Christine." A gust of wind swayed Christina's skirts, and Gavin stepped inside and closed the door, but stood holding the latch. "And your poor Aunties!" cried Christina. She was angry with herself the moment she said it, for a look of anguish passed quickly over Gavin's face. "They are very brave," he said simply. He paused, there was silence in the big warm kitchen. "Won't you come in, just a minute, and say good-bye to John?" asked Christina. "Mother and Uncle Neil are gone to bed, but--" "No, I have no time to-night, but I could not go without seeing you, just once, and saying good-bye," he whispered. Christina's eyes suddenly stung with tears. "Oh, Gavin," she faltered, "I--I don't deserve it." He shook his head to indicate that she was wrong, and again silence fell. Gavin glanced at his wrist watch. She noticed that his awkwardness had disappeared under his military training, he held himself with a new dignified bearing. "I must not be keeping you," he said, but it seemed as if he could not go. He stood looking down at her and she could not mistake the look in Gavin's eyes. Her own fell before them. "Oh," she managed to whisper, "I have always wanted to tell you that I think it is so brave and so grand of you to go, and, ... oh, I hope you'll come back safe," she ended, faltering, and Gavin still stood unable to speak and looked at her as if he could never take his eyes away. The loud, slow tick of the old clock marked off the minutes. Suddenly Gavin put his fingers under the collar of his coat. "Could you--would you mind taking this as a little keepsake?" he whispered, handing her the regimental pin of the Blue Bonnets. She took it with grateful thanks. And then a sudden impulse came to her. "But, I ought to give you something in return." She looked up and down her dress. She wore no ornament but an old-fashioned brooch of her mother's fastening the throat of her soft blue dress. "I haven't anything," she said helplessly. She followed Gavin's eyes that were fastened on her left hand.