epped in,
closing it behind him.

"I thought I'd find you here," he said.

His face was pale and a smile that was half a sneer was on his lips as
he stood looking at them. John was on his feet facing him and a glance
showed that Consuello had also risen from her chair at Gibson's
unexpected entrance.

"The girl who said that she loved me and the man who pretended he was my
friend," said Gibson, sarcastically.

John's muscles tightened and he bit his lip to restrain the words of
warning to Gibson that he was about to speak.

"If you have come here to----" he heard Consuello say, coolly, evenly.

"I came here to say good-by to you," Gibson interrupted, "and to make
certain that there had not been some mistake. I thought you might have
tried to reach me last night and failed, or that you might have changed
your mind." He paused a moment before adding, "But I know better now."

"You should have known last night," Consuello said. "You should have
known that if I had decided to do what you asked me I would have come to
you, found you wherever you were."

"I should have known months ago, if I had not been such a blind fool,"
said Gibson bitterly.

"You were a blind fool," said Consuello, "but not as I suspect you
think. You were blinded by your own selfish indolence. You said a moment
ago that I told you I loved you. I did tell you that and I thought that
I meant it, but when I found that I could not go with you as you asked I
knew I had been mistaken. You must remember that I decided against you
before I knew the reason you wanted me to leave."

The half-sarcastic smile curled Gibson's lips.

"Then you'll admit that something else--someone else, perhaps----" he
said.

"I saw no one, except Betty, from the time you left until Mr. Gallant
came this evening," Consuello said. "I'm thankful that I was able to
decide before I read what was in the paper today. Reggie, how often have
I told you my conception of love. Don't you know that if I cared for
you nothing would have kept me from you? I cannot tell you why it was; I
can only tell you how. I knew as soon as I realized that I had refused
to go with you blindly that it was not love, the real love, that I had
in my heart for you."

"And suppose I had not asked you to go away with me? Suppose I came to
you tonight and asked you to stand by me, right here in Los Angeles?"

"It would have been the same," Consuello replied quietly. "I would have
given you the same an