believe every word I say and you trust me. I don't mean to
tell lies--I don't know that I'm worse than most other men--but I'm not
good enough for you to trust in all the same. I've been knocking about
for years, and I suppose I've had most of my idealism knocked out of
me. Anyway I don't believe in most people, and you still do. I'm not
going to be the one to change you."

"Perhaps I know more about life than you think," said Maggie.

"No, how can you? You've never had a chance of seeing any of it. You'd
get sick of me in no time. I'm moody and selfish and bad-tempered. I
used to drink a bit too. And I can't be faithful to women. I might
think I was going to be faithful to you and swear I would be--and then
suddenly some one would come along. I thought for a bit I'd just go on
with you and see what came of it. You're so unusual, you make me want
to be straight with you; but I've seen it wouldn't be fair. I must just
slip out of your path and you'll forget me, and then you'll meet a much
better man than I and be happy. I'm queer--I have funny moods that last
for days and days sometimes. I seem to do every one harm I come in
touch with. There's my father now. I love him more than any one in the
world, and yet I make him unhappy all the time. I'm a bad fellow to be
with--"

He stopped suddenly, looked at her and laughed. "It isn't any good,
Maggie ... You haven't any idea what a sweep I am. You'd hate me if you
really knew."

She looked steadily back at him. "We haven't much time," she said,
speaking with steady, calm conviction as though she had, for years,
been expecting just such a conversation as this, and had thought out
what she would say. "Aunt Elizabeth can come back earlier than she
said. Perhaps I shall say something I oughtn't to. I don't care. The
whole thing is that I love you. I suppose it's true that I don't know
anything about men, but I'd be poor enough if my love for you just
depended on your loving me back, and on your being good to me and all
the rest of it. I've never had any one I could love until you came, but
now that you have come it can't be anything that you can do that can
alter it. If you were to go away I'd still love you, because it's the
love in me that matters, not what I get for it. Perhaps you'll make me
unhappy, but anyway one will be unhappy some of the time."

She went up to him and kissed him. "I know Caroline Smith or some one
would be very shocked if they thought I'd said suc