, and he, looking upon her with a knowledge that
she loved him and was about to leave him, spoke fatefully--as if the
words came forth in spite of his will. "You don't seem to realize how
deeply I'm going to miss you. You cannot know how much your presence
means to me here in this small town. I will not stay on without the hope
of seeing you. If you go, I will not remain here another day."

She fought against the feeling of pride, of joy, which these words gave
her. "You mustn't say that--you've got to stay with Alice."

"Alice!" his voice rose. "Alice has given me back my ring and is going
home. When you are gone, what is left in this town for me?" He rose and
walked up and down, a choking sob in his throat. "My God! It's horrible
to feel our good days ending in a crash like this. What does it all
mean? I refuse to admit that our shining little world is only a house of
cards. Are we never to see each other again? I refuse to say good-bye. I
won't have it so!" He faced her again with curt inquiry. "Where are you
going to live?"

"I don't know--maybe in Chicago--maybe in New York."

"No matter where it is, I will come to you. I cannot lose you out of my
life--I will not!"

"No, you mustn't do that. It ain't square to Mart--I can't see you any
more--now."

He seized upon the significance of that little final word. "What do you
mean by _now_? Do you mean because Mart is worse? Or do you mean that I
have forfeited your good-will by my own action?" He came closer to her
and his voice was low and insistent as he continued: "Or do you
mean--something very sweet and comforting to me? Do you love me, Bertie?
Do you? Is that your meaning?"

She struggled against him as she answered: "I don't know--Yes, I do
know--it ain't right for me--for you to say these things to me while I
am Mart Haney's wife."

He caught at her hands and looked upon her with face grown older and
graver as he bitterly wailed: "Why couldn't we have met before you went
to him? You must not go with him now, for you are mine at heart, you
belong to me."

She rose with instinctive desire to flee, but he held her hands in both
of his and hurried on: "You do love me! I am sure of it! Why try to
conceal it? You would marry me if you were free?" His eyes pierced her
as he proceeded, transformed by the power of his own plea. "We belong to
each other--don't you know we do? I am sorry for Alice, but I do not
love her--I never loved her as I love you. She unde