“I have not acted hastily, sir:  I appreciate their kindness, and am not ungrateful.  Five years ago my whole life was changed.  From that time to this I have done without a host of things that used to be indispensable, and have abjured them one and all for a single luxury that I cannot live without,—­the luxury of utter independence,—­the joy of knowing that I owe no man anything,—­the blessing of being beholden to no one on earth for a single service I cannot pay for.  It is the one luxury left me.”

VII.

It was a clear winter’s evening, sharply cold, about a week after the fire, when, as Mrs. Rayner came down the stairway equipped for a walk, and was passing the parlor door without stopping, Miss Travers caught sight of and called to her,—­

“Are you going walking, Kate? Do wait a moment, and I’ll go with you.”

Any one in the hall could have shared the author’s privilege and seen the expression of annoyance and confusion that appeared on Mrs. Rayner’s face: 

“I thought you were out.  Did not Mr. Graham take you walking?”

“He did; but we wandered into Mrs. Waldron’s, and she and the major begged us to stay, and we had some music, and then the first call sounded for retreat, and Mr. Graham had to go, so he brought me home.  I’ve had no walk, and need exercise.”

“But I don’t like you to be out after sunset.  That cough of yours—­”

“Disappeared the day after I got here, Kate, and there hasn’t been a vestige of it since.  This high, dry climate put an end to it.  No, I’ll be ready in one minute more.  Do wait.”

Mrs. Rayner’s hand was turning the knob while her sister was hurrying to the front door and drawing on her heavy jacket as she did so.  The former faced her impatiently: 

“I don’t think you are at all courteous to your visitors.  You know just as well as I do that Mr. Foster or Mr. Royce or some other of those young officers are sure to be in just at this hour.  You really are very thoughtless, Nellie.”

Miss Travers stopped short in her preparations.

“Kate Rayner,” she began, impressively, “it was only night before last that you rebuked me for sitting here with Mr. Blake at this very hour, and asked me how I supposed Mr. Van Antwerp would like it.  Now you—­”

“Fudge!  I cannot stay and listen to such talk.  If you must go, wait a few minutes until I get back.  I—­I want to make a short call.  Then I’ll take you.”

“So do I want to make a short call,—­over at the doctor’s; and you are going right to the hospital, are you not?”

“How do you know I am?” asked Mrs. Rayner, reddening.

“You do go there every evening, it seems to me.”

“I don’t.  Who told you I did?”

“Several people mentioned your kindness and attention to the Clancys, Kate.  I have heard it from many sources.”