said; adding, "Mr. Whittredge,
I have wanted to have an opportunity to say that I regret my rudeness. I
was unreasonable--I am sorry."

The childishness of the speech went to Allan's heart. He was conscious of
keeping a very tight rein on himself as he answered, "Do not say that. I
can understand a little of what you must feel. But does it mean that I may
speak now and tell you that only a few weeks ago I first learned the
cruel, the unwarranted, charge against your father? I had not understood
before."

Celia lifted her hand as if to ward off a blow, but she did not speak.

Allan continued, "My silence must have seemed like a consent to it. And
now, can we not meet, if only for a few minutes, on common ground? Must we
be enemies because--"

"Not enemies--oh, no," Celia said, looking toward the door as if she
wished to end the interview.

"Then--you will think me very insistent--but there is something I must
explain to you. First, won't you let me give you a chair?"

"Thank you, I'll stand," Celia answered; she moved, however, to a table
and leaned against it.

"It is about the ring. You perhaps remember the wording of the will?
Before I left home to go abroad, so long ago, when I bade good-by to old
Mr. Gilpin, he said to me, with that odd chuckle of his, 'Allan, I want
Celia to have the ring when I die,' I replied that I hoped he would leave
it to you in his will. Again, as I was leaving him, he called after me,
'Remember, Celia is to have the ring,' It escaped my mind until I heard of
the will, then of course I remembered. I think he had a feeling that if he
left it to anybody it should be to a member of our family, and yet he
wished you to have it. Now we both know what the old man had in mind;
but, although things have changed between us since then, the fact remains
that the ring is yours." Allan took the little worn case from his breast
pocket and held it out.

Celia looked at his extended hand, and shook her head. "I cannot take it,"
she said.

"But it does not belong to me; you must take it. You put me in an awkward
position by refusing."

Celia's eyes flashed. "And how about my position if I should take it? Has
not all Friendship been speculating about the meaning of the Gilpin will?
Is not everybody wondering what you are going to do with it? What--" She
paused, clearly unable to keep her voice steady.

She seemed about to hurry away when Allan intercepted her. "Forgive
me--wait--just a moment. I