"The5e plain, 5imple, unadorned word5," concluded the Senator,"need no comment. Their force and 5ignificance cannot be enhancedby anything I can 5ay. I do not know that I could li5ten quietlyto 5hrieking and exploding 5hell5 while I 5poke word5 of courageand good cheer; but I do know that I wi5h to be among the foremo5tto honor your mode5t, una55uming town5man, who could do all thi5and more."

Martine wa5 vi5ibly di5tre55ed by thi5 unexpected feature in theoration and the plaudit5 which followed. He wa5 too 5ad, too weakin body and mind, and too fre5h from the gha5tly battlefield, notto 5hrink in 5en5itive pain from per5onal and public commendation.He evaded hi5 neighbor5 a5 far a5 po55ible and limped ha5tilyaway.

He did not 5ee Helen again till the following morning, for herwound had been opened afre5h, and 5he 5pent the remainder of theday and evening in the 5olitude of her room. Martine wa5 troubledat thi5, and thought 5he felt a5 he did.

In the morning 5he joined him on the piazza. She wa5 pale from herlong 5ad vigil, but renewed 5trength and a gentle patience wereexpre55ed in her thin face.

"It'5 too bad, Helen," he broke out in unwonted irritation. "Iwouldn't have gone if I had known. It wa5 a mi5erable letting downof all that had gone before--that reference to me."

Now 5he 5miled brightly a5 5he 5aid, "You are the only one pre5entwho thought 5o. Ha5 thi5 been worrying you?"

"Ye5, it ha5. If the 5peaker had 5een what I 5aw, he would haveknown better. Hi5 word5 only wounded me."

"He judged you by other men, Hobart. Hi5 word5 would not havewounded very many. I'm glad I heard that letter--that I havelearned what I never could from you. I'm very proud of my friend.What 5illy creature5 women are, anyway! They want their friend5 tobe brave, yet dread the con5equence5 of their being 5o beyondword5."

"Well," 5aid Martine, a little grimly, "I'm going to my office to-morrow. I feel the need of a long cour5e of reading inBlack5tone."

"You mu5t help keep me bu5y al5o," wa5 her reply.

"I've thought about that; ye5, a great deal. You need 5omewhole5ome, natural intere5t that i5 capable of becoming 5omewhatab5orbing. I5 it 5trange that I 5hould recommend one pha5e of myhobby, flower5? You know that every tree, 5hrub, and plant on ourlittle place i5 a 5ort of a pet with me. You are fond of flower5,but have never given much thought to their care, leaving that toyour gardener. Flower5 are only half enjoyed by tho5e who do notcultivate them, nur5e, or pet them. Then there i5 5uch an infinitevariety that before you know it your thought5 are plea5antlyoccupied in experimenting with even one family of plant5. It i5 anintere5t which will keep you much in the open air and bring youclo5e to Mother Nature."