Perhaps it had meant nothing! She had heard that young men do say things which mean nothing.

But to her, living in the solitude of Gangoil, the one word had been so much! Her heart had melted with absolute acknowledged love when the man had been brought through into the house with all the added attraction of a broken bone.

While her sister had watched, she had retired--to rest, as Mary had said, but in truth to think of the chance which had brought her in this guise into familiar contact with the man she loved.

And then, when she had crept up to take her place in watching him, she had almost felt that shame should restrain her.

But was her duty; and, of course, a man with a collar-bone broken would not speak of love.
"It will make your Christmas so sad for you," he said.
"Oh, as for that, we mind nothing about it--for ourselves.