any of
us. Ask Him. Ask His help. He'll give it you. He surely will. And
He can clear away all this dreadful feeling. It'll pass right away
easy. I know. He's done things for me. You just can't guess how
much. Say, Jeff, and when He's fixed you right, feeling that way,
He'll show you, and tell you more. He'll show you that Evie's act was
not hers, but--His. It was just His way of bringing Ronny's punishment
back to you. You see, Jeff, Ronny was part of you. You said so. And
oh, He's wiser than you an' me. And He figures this thing is best so.
It's a little Cross, such a teeny one, He's set you to bear, and if
you're the man I know and believe in, why, you'll just carry it without
a squeal. Then later you'll understand, and--you'll be real glad for
it. Will you--will you go back to her--to-morrow, Jeff?"

Nan waited almost breathlessly. She was watching him with a gaze that
searched every detail of his face. She saw the strong veins at his
temples standing out, the usually clear eyes stained and bloodshot.
She saw him raise one hand wearily to his forehead, and pass it back
over his hair. She knew the movement so well. The sight of it
thrilled her. There was little about him she did not know and
understand.

"You've made it seem I'll have to, Nan," he said with desperate
reluctance.

For a moment a strange feeling of weakness came over the girl. But she
resolutely thrust it aside.

"It's not me, Jeff," she disclaimed. "You know it's not me. And
you'll--promise?"

He nodded.

"I'll go back to her, because--of you."

A curious look of fear crept into the girl's eyes.

"You'll go back, because--of her," she persisted.

The man shook his head.

"Anyway--I'll go back."

The words were roughly spoken. But Nan accepted them. It was all she
could hope for. And--well, she had done her best.

She sighed deeply. She glanced about her. For a moment they dwelt
upon the man who was denied her. The man in whom she saw all that
could ever make life worth while.

"Good-night, Jeff."

Her voice was very low and soft.

"Good-night, Nan." Then with a sudden outburst, as forceful as it was
spontaneous: "God, if the world were only made up of women like you!"

But the door had closed. And as Nan crept to her bedroom, unrestrained
tears coursed down her soft cheeks. The full force of the irony of it
all was too great for her. He was going back to Elvine, and--she had
sent him.