d whispered:

"My lion! Oh, kill me--kill me--let me die with you!"

"Child--my precious one--my--oh, God, and you--forgive me this. But
let me kiss you once and dream--dream it is she"--

She felt his kisses on her hair, her eyes.

"Good-bye--Alice--Alice--good-bye--forever--"

He released her, but she clung to him sobbing. Her head lay on his
breast, and she shook in the agony of it all.

"You will forgive me, some day--when you know--how I loved her," he
gasped, white and with a bitter light in his face.

She looked up: "I would die," she said simply, "for a love like
that."

They heard the steps of a man approaching the house. She sat down on
the old sofa pale, trembling and with bitterness in her heart.

Travis walked to the door and opened it:

"Come in, Clay," he said quietly. "I am glad that my man found you.
We have been waiting for you."

"I finished that survey and came as fast as I could. Your man rode on
to The Gaffs, but I came here as you wrote me to do," and Clay came
in quietly, speaking as he walked to the fire.

CHAPTER XIX

FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH

He came in as naturally as if the house were still inhabited, though
he saw the emptiness of it all, and guessed the cause. But when he
saw Helen, a flushed surprise beamed through his eyes and he gave her
his hand.

"Helen!--why, this is unexpected--quite unusual, I must say."

She did not speak, as she gave him her hand, but smiled sadly. It
meant: "Mr. Travis will tell you all. I know nothing. It is all his
planning."

Clay sat down in an old chair by the fire and warmed his hands,
looking thoughtfully at the two, now and then, and wonderingly. He
was not surprised when Travis said:

"I sent for you hurriedly, as one who I knew was a friend of Miss
Conway. A crisis has arisen in her affairs to-day in which it is
necessary for her friends to act."

"Why, yes, I suppose I can guess," said Clay thoughtfully and
watching Helen closely all the while as he glanced around the empty
room. "I was only waiting. Why, you see--"

Helen flushed scarlet and looked appealingly at Travis. But he broke
in on Clay without noticing her.

"Yes, I knew you were only waiting. I think I understand you, but you
know the trouble with nearly every good intention is that it waits
too long."

Clay reddened.

Helen arose and, coming over, stood by Travis, her face pale, her
eyes shining. "I beg--I entreat--please, say no more. Clay," she said