secret from you, and from all the world for some time to
come. He had his own reasons for that--reasons I was bound to respect. I
cannot think how you came to discover this out-of-the-world place."

"I have taken some trouble to find you, Marian, and it is a hard thing
to find you the wife of another; but the bitterness of it must be borne.
I do not want to reproach you when I tell you that my life has been
broken utterly by this blow. I want you to believe in my truth and
honour, to trust me now as you might have trusted me when you first
discovered that you could not love me. Since I am not to be your husband,
let me be the next best thing--your friend. The day may come in which,
you will have need of an honest man's friendship."

She shook her head sadly.

"You are very good," she said; "but there is no possibility at friendship
between you and me. If you will only say that you can forgive me for the
great wrong I have done you, there will be a heavy burden lifted from my
heart; and whatever you may think now, I cannot doubt that in the future
you will find some one far better worthy of your love than ever I could
have been."

"That is the stereotyped form of consolation, Marian, a man is always
referred to--that shadowy and perfect creature who is to appear in the
future, and heal all his wounds. There will be no such after-love for me.
I staked all when I played the great game; and have lost all. But why
cannot I be your friend, Marian?"

"Can you forgive my husband for his part in the wrong that has been done
you? Can you be his friend, knowing what he has done?"

"No!" Gilbert answered fiercely between his set teeth. "I can forgive
your weakness, but not the man's treachery."

"Then you can never be mine," Marian said firmly.

"Remember, I am not talking of a common friendship, a friendship of daily
association. I offer myself to you as refuge in the hour of trouble, a
counsellor in perplexity, a brother always waiting in the background of
your life to protect or serve you. Of course, it is quite possible you
may never have need of protection or service--God knows, I wish you all
happiness--but there are not many lives quite free from trouble, and the
day may come in which you will want a friend."

"If it ever does, I will remember your goodness."

Gilbert looked scrutinisingly at Marian Holbrook as she stood before him
with the cold gray light of the sunless day full upon her face. He wanted
to read t