cheeks. But as he ceased speaking the same shrinking, the same humility
marked her attitude. She knew instinctively she dared not say the things
she was yearning to pour out. She knew instinctively that any such
course would at once break down that thin veneer of restraint he was
exercising. And for perhaps the first time in her life she stood awed
and cowed by a man.

But this woman was the slave of her passions, and she knew it. It was
this now that made a coward of her. With all the power of self in her
she had abandoned herself to her love for her husband. And, with slavish
submission, she was prepared to accept his words rather than banish
herself out of his presence altogether. A mad, wild hope lay somewhere
deep down in her heart that some day he could be made to forget. That
some day, through what looked to her like endless days of devotion and
help, she might win back something of what she had lost. She knew her
own attraction. She knew her own powers. Might there not then be hope
in the dim future?

She had no pride where Jeff was concerned. She wanted him. His love was
all life to her now. If she had followed the natural course which should
have been hers and refused his proposal, she would have been closing the
door, finally, upon all that made life possible. If she submitted there
still remained to her the vaguest possible shadow of hope. This was her
thought and motive in the crisis with which she was faced, and her
calculations were made out of her yearning, and without true
understanding of the man with whom she was dealing.

Jeff awaited her decision under an enforced calm.

"It's for you to say," she said, after some moments. "Nor is the choice
mine. I shall obey. You've said I can help in the work. Maybe it's my
right. I'll claim that right anyway. It's the only right I'll claim.
I've only one other thing to say, and maybe you'll let me speak it this
once."

"Go on."

"I didn't guess I was doing wrong. I don't know now I did wrong.
Anyway, if what I did was wrong it's against God's laws and not man's.
Maybe you've a right to punish me. I don't know. Anyway, my life and
interests are bound to yours, and I want you to know every effort of mine
will be to further--your interests. This has made no change in me--that
way. You can trust me as you'd trust yourself. I'm not here to squeal
for any mercy from you, Jeff. And maybe some day you'll--understand. I
guess your b