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Half an hour later Anstice came downstairs and re-entered the roohtly burning fire

"Well!" The soldier's voice was anxious "How is the woman? Oh, and what about your arht flesh wound, and Mrs Carstairs has kindly bound it up for me" He relinquished the subject of his own injury abruptly "The woiven her soh for the rest of the night"

"My wife is with her?"

"Yes Mrs Carstairs insists on staying there for the present"

Anstice took a cigarette froesture towards the tantalus on the table

"Have a peg--I'm sure you want it!"

"Well, I think I do," returned Anstice with a sh time of it upstairs just now" He mixed hio the result is apt to be disastrous"

"Will she be quieter in the lass in hand; and in spite of his evident fatigue it was easy to see he was quietly jubilant over the events of the night "The Latin races have a peculiar elasticity, you know An Englishwoh this sort of violent brain-storm would be absolutely exhausted, worn out for days after it; but an Italian doesn't sees in the same way They are so naturally excitable, I suppose, that a scene like this is merely an episode in the day's work; and they recover their matic temperament would be likely to do"

"Then you think she ?"

"I daresay--a bit dazed, perhaps, but I don't think you need fear a repetition of to-night's scene Of course she ought not to be left alone--in case she tries to scoot; but if you are staying in the house----" He paused interrogatively

"I a," returned Major Carstairs quietly "Thanks to you the cloud has lifted froive me for my unwarrantable doubt of her----"

He broke off, for Anstice was uessed that the younger man was rendered uncomfortable by the turn the conversation had taken