"That, in fact, I'm the person in the way—not Merryl!"
Ned wondered for a moment—was Magda in one of her "moods"?
"If you must take it in that way, I shall be sorry that I said anything. I thought I might venture."
"Of course you might!" Magda was alarmed, lest he should discover too much. "Go on—you had more to say."
Ned obeyed, and did go on. He went through the whole again, with amplifications, explaining more fluently, and enlarging in lover-like style upon Merryl's unselfishness, and the spell which her face had laid upon him—that face of placid content, which would be a never-ending delight to the man who should be so fortunate as to win her for his own. For once, it was Ned who poured out, and Magda who listened.
Or at least, who seemed to listen. She heard only part, for she was fighting a very hard battle. The same hour which had brought knowledge of his love for another, had brought also knowledge of what he had grown to be to herself. And now, she must lose him—had lost him. Whether he did or did not marry Merryl, he did not want her. She would not even be his chum any longer. When Merryl should be his wife, how could she any more confide in him, as she had been wont? How tell him her thoughts, her aims, her troubles? It was very very hard!
Then a gentle voice within, a voice to which she was learning to give attention, said—
"Another opportunity!"
Was it that? Was this the next opportunity, which she had known must some day come? Not like the one in which she had so signally failed; for here lay no possibilities of grand action in the eyes of men, or of praise and admiration to follow. No one would know; no one might know. She had to keep to herself all that it meant; had to hide from Ned all she might feel or suffer. Yet the test was no less severe, the chance for self-sacrifice no less genuine, than last time. Perhaps, even more severe, even more genuine, while hidden from those around.
And the question was—would she be beaten anew? She had been so often defeated in the past. Would she refuse to do what Ned asked? It was a request not easy to face. She was to help him to gain his heart's desire; to try to persuade Merryl; to efface herself; to retreat willingly into the background, that he might have her younger sister!