Barry made no answer.  He reflected that it was quite in keeping with all be knew of the man for him to bear in silence the shock of knowing that henceforward he would be a helpless cripple.  Just as a wild animal, mortally hurt, seeks solitude in which to die, so Roger’s arrogant, primitive nature refused to tolerate the pity of his fellows.

“Well,” queried Barry grudgingly.  “If I do see him, what then?”

“You must tell him that Peter is free and make him release Nan from her engagement.  In fact, he must do more than that,” she continued emphatically.  “In her present mood Nan would probably decline to accept her release.  He must absolutely refuse to marry her.”

“And supposing he doesn’t see doing that?”

Kitty’s lip curled.

“In the circumstances, I should think that any man who cared for a woman and who wasn’t a moral and physical coward, would see it was the one and only thing he could do.”

Her husband remained silent.

“You’ll go, Barry?”

“I don’t care for interfering in Trenby’s personal affairs.  Poor devil!  He’s got enough to bear just now!”

Sudden tears filled Kitty’s eyes.  She pitied Roger from the bottom of her heart, but she must still fight for the happiness of Nan and Peter.

“I know,” she acquiesced unhappily.  “But, don’t you see, if he doesn’t bear just this, too, Nan will have to endure a twofold burden for the rest of her life.  Oh, Barry!”—­choking back a sob—­“Don’t fail me!  It’s a man’s job—­this.  No woman could do it, without making Roger feel it frightfully.  A man so hates to discuss any physical disablement with a woman.  It hurts his pride.  He’d rather ignore it.”

“But where’s the use?” protested Barry.  “If Peter is off to-morrow to the back of beyond, you’re still no further on.  You’ve only made things doubly hard for that poor devil up at the Hall without accomplishing anything else.”

“Peter won’t go to-morrow,” asserted Kitty.  “I’ve settled that.  I wired him to come down here—­I sent the wire the minute after breakfast.  He’ll be here to-night.”

“Pooh!  He’ll take no notice of a telegram like that!  A man doesn’t upset the whole of his plans to go abroad because a pal in the country wires him ’to come down’!”

“Precisely.  So I worded my wire in a way which will ensure his coming,” replied Kitty, with returning spirit.

Barry looked, at her doubtfully.

“What did you put on it?”

“I said:  ‘Bad accident here.  Come at once.’  I know that will bring him. . . .  And it has the further merit of being the truth!” she added with a rather shaky little laugh.

“That will certainly bring him,” agreed Barry, a brief flash of amusement in his eyes.  It was so like Kitty to dare a wire of this description and chance how her explanation of it might be received by the person most concerned.  “But suppose Trenby declines point-blank to release Nan?” he pursued.  “What will you do then—­with Peter on your hands?”