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There was nothing more to be said. The banal wishes for happiness

would not rise to his lips. He looked at her intently for a

moment, saw her eyes again drop, and walked away. He was suddenly

tired and wanted to go home and rest. The reaction of his nervous

and physical strain had set in.

The hundred yards to his own gateway was a triumphal procession,

but he scarcely realized it. Somehow he answered the acclamations

that were heaped upon him. He smiled, but he did not know how.

At the gate some one was waiting for him. At first he thought it

was his mother, but he suddenly saw that it was Elsa Mallaby. He

told himself that she must have come down to the village to watch

the fire, and wondered why she was in that particular place.

"Code," she cried, her face flushed with glad pride, "you were

splendid! That was the bravest thing I ever heard of in my life.

I knew you would do it!"