women would have said, 'No, I don't know.'
But you told the truth. I want to link you with my life in every way I
can because I love you. And you know that I care--very much--that I want
you for my wife--my golden girl in my golden West----?"

"You have never told me before that--you cared."

"There was no need to tell it. You knew."

"Yes. I was afraid it was true----"

He was startled. "Afraid? Why?"

"Oh, I oughtn't to let you care," she said. "You don't know what a
slacker I've been. And I don't want you to find out----"

"The only thing that I want to find out is whether you care for me."

She flushed a little under his steady gaze, then quite unexpectedly she
reached her hand down to him. He took it in his firm clasp. "I do
care--an awful lot," she said, "but I've tried not to. And I shouldn't
let you care for me."

"Why--shouldn't?"

"I'm not--half good enough. My life has always been lived at loose ends.
Nothing bad, but a thousand things that you wouldn't--like to hear--I'm
not a golden girl--I'm a gilded one----"

"Why should you tell me things like that? I don't believe it."

"Please believe it," she said earnestly, "don't whitewash things. Just
let me begin again--loving you----"

Her voice broke. He drew himself up, and took her in his arms. "My dear
girl," he said, "my dear girl----"

"I never met a man like you, I never believed there were--such men----"
He felt her tears against his hand.

"Listen," he said quietly; "let me tell you something of my life." He
told her the things he had told Randy. Of the little wife he had not
loved. "Perhaps if it had not been for her, I should not have had the
courage to offer to you my--maimed--self. When I married her I was
strong and young and had wealth to give her. Yet I did not give her
love. And love is more than all the rest. I have that to give you--you
know it."

"Yes."

"I have some money. I don't think it is going to count much with either
of us. What will count is the way we plan our future. I have a big old
ranch, and we'll live in it--with the dairy and the wide kitchen that
you've talked about--and you won't have to wait for another world,
dearest, to get your heart's desire----"

"I have my heart's desire," she whispered; "you are--my world."

II

Madge wrote to George Dalton that she was going to marry Major Prime.

"There is no reason why we should put it off, Georgie. The
clergyman who prayed for Flora will perf