o his feet, his eyes suddenly
radiant, "d'ye mean you'll marry her?"

"If she will honour me so far, Spike."

"Marry her! You'll marry her!" Spike repeated.

"As soon as she'll let me!"

"Geoff--oh, Geoff," exclaimed the boy, and choking, turned away.

"Won't you congratulate me?"

"I can't yet," gasped Spike; "I can't till I've told ye what a mean guy
I've been."

"What about?"

"About you--and Hermy. Bud said you meant t' make her go the way--little
Maggie Finlay went, an'--oh, Geoff, I--I kind of believed him."

"Did you, Spike--that foul beast? But you don't believe it any longer,
and M'Ginnis is--only M'Ginnis, after all."

"But I--I've got to tell you more," said the lad miserably, as meeting
Ravenslee's eye with an effort, he went on feverishly. "The other night
after--after Bud slipped me the--the stuff an' I'd had a--a drink or
two, he began askin' all about you. At first I blocked and side-stepped
all his questions, but he kep' on at me, an' at last I--I give you away,
Geoff--" Here Spike paused breathlessly and cast an apprehensive glance
toward his hearer, but finding him silent and serene as ever he
repeated:

"I--gave you away, Geoff!"

"Did you, Spike?"

"Yes, I--I told him who you really are!"

"Did you, Spike?"

"Yes! Yes! Oh, Geoff, don't you understand?"

"I understand."

"Well, why don't ye say something? Why don't ye tell me what I am? Say
I'm a dirty sneak--call me a yeller cur--anything!"

"No, you were drunk, that's all; and when the drink is in, honour, and
all that makes a man, is out--you were only drunk."

"Oh, but I wasn't s' drunk as all that," gasped Spike, cowering in
his chair, "but he kep' on comin' at me with his questions, an' at
last--when I told him how I met up with you--he kind o' give a jump--an'
his face--" Spike clenched his fists and, slowly raising them, pressed
them upon his eyes. "I'll never forget th' look on--his face! So now you
know as I've blown th' game on ye--given ye away--you as was my friend!"
With the word Spike sobbed and fell grovelling on his knees. "Curse me,
Geoff!" he cried. "Oh, curse me, an' tell me what I am!"

"You are Hermione's brother!"

"My God!" wailed the boy. "If she knew, she'd hate me."

"I--almost think she would, Spike."

"You won't tell her, Geoff, you won't never let her know?"

"I--don't get drunk, Spike."

"But you won't tell her?" he pleaded, reaching out desperate hands,
"you won't?"

"Not a word, Spi