me along. I haven't dared to think, but there's something about
you--oh, I don't know what! But you don't play tricks, do you, Peter?
And you've given me all, at last, without a question.... Oh, Peter, tell
me you love me still! It's your love, Peter, that can make me clean and
save my soul--if I've any soul to save," she added brokenly.

Peter caught her to him. He crushed he so that she caught her breath with
the pain of it, and he wound his hand all but savagely in her hair. He
got up--and she never guessed he had the strength--and carried her out in
his arms, and into the other room.

And hours later, staring into the blackness while she slept as softly as
a child by his side, he could not help smiling a little to himself. It
was all so different from what he had imagined.

CHAPTER VIII

Peter awoke, and wondered where he was. Then his eye fell on a half-shut,
unfamiliar trunk across the room, and he heard splashing through the open
door of the bathroom. "Julie!" he called.

A gurgle of laughter came from the same direction and the splashing
ceased. Almost the next second Julie appeared in the doorway. She was
still half-wet from the water, and her sole dress was a rosebud which she
had just tucked into her hair. She stood there, laughing, a perfect
vision of unblushing natural loveliness, splendidly made from her little
head poised lightly on her white shoulders to her slim feet. "You lazy
creature!" she exclaimed; "you're awake at last, are you? Get up at
once," and she ran over to him just as she was, seizing the bed-clothes
and attempting to strip them off. Peter protested vehemently. "You're a
shameless baggage," he said, "and I don't want to get up yet. I want some
tea and a cigarette in bed. Go away!"

"You won't get up, won't you?" she said. "All right; I'll get into bed,
then," and she made as if to do so.

"Get away!" he shouted. "You're streaming wet! You'll soak everything."

"I don't care," she retorted, laughing and struggling at the same time,
and she succeeded in getting a foot between the sheets. Peter slipped out
on the other side, and she ran round to him. "Come on," she said; "now
for your bath. Not another moment. My water's steaming hot, and it's
quite good enough for you. You can smoke in your bath or after it. Come
on!"

She dragged him into the bathroom and into that bath, and then she filled
a sponge with cold water and trickled it on him, until he threatened to
jump out a