nobody in the world but you--forgive
me!" And now his pleading was broken by fierce sobs, and he sought to
hide his tear-stained face in the folds of her dress, but she drew it
quickly from him, shrinking away almost as if she feared him.

"A thief!" she whispered, "oh, God--my brother a thief! I don't
seem--able to--think. Go away--go away, I--must be--alone!"

"Hermy, dear, I swear--oh, I swear I'll--"

"Go away!"

"Oh, Hermy, I didn't think you'd ever--turn away--from me."

"Go away!"

"Oh, Hermy--won't you listen?"

"I can't! Not now. Go away."

Sobbing, the boy got to his feet, and taking his hat, crossed
slow-footed to the door; there he paused to look back at her, but her
staring eyes gazed through him and, turning hopelessly away, he brushed
his sleeve across his cheek and, treading slow and heavily along the
passage, was gone.

Dry-eyed she stood awhile, then sank again beside the table and crouched
there with face bowed between outstretched arms, and hands tight
clenched. Evening began to fall, but still she sat huddled there,
motionless, and uttering no sound, and still her eyes were tearless.
At last she stirred, conscious of a quick, firm step near by, and,
thrilling to that sound, rose and stood with her back to the fading
light as Ravenslee entered.

"Dear," said he, tender and eager, "I found the door open--did you leave
it for me? Why, Hermione--oh, my love, what is it?" and he would have
caught her to him, but she held him away and questioned him,
quick-breathing:

"You are--Geoffrey Ravenslee--the millionaire--aren't you?"

"Why--er--I--I'm afraid I am," he stammered. "I'm sorry you found it out
so soon, dearest; I wanted to tell you after we--"

"Oh, why didn't you tell me before--why didn't you? No--please wait!
You--you caught my--brother, didn't you?" she went on breathlessly; "he
had broken in--was burgling your house, wasn't he--wasn't he?"

"How in the world," began Ravenslee, flinching, "who told--"

"He broke into your house to--steal, didn't he--didn't he?"

"But, good heavens--that was all forgotten and done with long ago!
They'd made the poor chap drunk--he didn't know what he was doing--it's
all forgotten long ago! Dear heart, why are you so pale? God,
Hermione--nothing can alter our love!"

"No, nothing can alter our love," she repeated in the same dull tones.
"Oh, no, nothing can ever alter that; even though you deceived me I
shall always love you, I can't help it.