"  My  dear  —  what  is  it? ”

She  put  her  hand  up  to  her  head,  "  Teddy,  dear¬
est,”  she  asked,  "can  you  take  care  of  Margaret-
Mary  until  Cousin  Derry  comes  back?  I  want  to
talk  to  him.”

Teddy’s  grave  eyes  surveyed  her.  "  You’ve  been
cryin’,”  he  said.  "  I  told  Cousin  Derry  — ”

"Yes.  I  have  had  —  bad  news.  But  —  I  am
not  going  to  cry  —  any  more.  And  you’ll  take  care
of  sister?  ”

"  I  tell  you,  old  chap,”  said  Derry  resourcefully,
"  you  and  Mar garet-M ary  can  open  my  parcel,  and
when  I  come  back  we’ll  all  play  together.”

Outside  with  Margaret,  with  the  door  shut  on  the
children,  he  put  his  arm  about  her.  "  Is  it  Win  —
is  he  —  hurt?  ”

"  He  is  —  oh,  Derry,  Derry,  he  is  dead !  ”

Even  then  she  did  not  cry.  "  The  children
190


SHINING  SOULS


mustn’t  know.  Not  till  I  get  a  grip  on  myself,
They  mustn’t  think  of  it  as  —  sad.  They  must
think  of  it  as  —  glorious  —  that  he  went  — that
way — .”

Held  close  in  his  arms,  she  shook  with  sobs,  si*
lent,  hard.  He  carried  her  down  to  her  room.  The
maids  were  gathered  there  —  Nurse  utterly  useless
in  her  grief.  It  came  to  Derry,  as  he  bent  over
Margaret,  that  he  had  always  thought  of  Nurse  as
a  heartless  automaton,  playing  Chorus  to  Teddy,
yet  here  she  was,  a  weeping  woman  with  the  rest
of  them.
