dy," he said. "I am no
weakling, I hope, to go snivelling over what is not for me; and when I
comprehended you were married, on the Lusitania, I just faced up the
situation and vowed I'd be a strong man."

Then he paused a moment as if his throat were dry: "No one can control
his emotion of love for a woman," he went on; "the sentiment he feels,
I mean, but the strong man controls the demonstration." He looked
away again, and his face was set like bronze. "I love you better than
anything on God's earth," he said, "and I want to tell you all the
truth, so that you won't feel you can't trust me, or when, if ever I
should chance to meet your husband, I can't look him straight in the
face. I love you, but I never mean to bother you or do anything in the
world but be your best friend." "Indeed, indeed, yes," I said, and I
told him how dreadfully sorry I was if I had hurt him, and how noble and
brave he seemed to me.

"You are my star," he said, "and I am going to crush this pain out of my
heart, and make it just a glad thing that I've known you, and something
to remember always; so don't you feel sorry, my lady, dear. It was not
your fault. It was nobody's fault--just fate. And we out in this desert
country learn to size up a situation and face it out. But I don't want
you to go away from this happy party of ours with an ache in your tender
heart, thinking I am a weakling and going to cry by myself in a corner;
I am not. Nothing's going to be changed, and you can count till death on
Nelson Renour."

I don't know what I said, Mamma, I was so profoundly touched. What a
noble gentleman; how miles and miles above the puny Europeans, setting
snares for every married woman's heart, if she is anything which
attracts them. Suddenly all the men I know seemed to turn into little
paltry dolls, and Harry with his dear blue eyes flashing at me seemed to
be the only reality, except this splendid Western hero; and a great
lump came in my throat, and I could not speak. Then he took my hand and
kissed it. "We're through with all our sad talk, my Lady Elizabeth," he
said, the kindest smile in his faithful eyes, "and now I am going to
show you I can keep my word, and not be a bleating lambkin."

We came down the mountain after that, and he told me just interesting
things about the camp, and the life, and the wonderful quantities of
gold there. And when we got into the restaurant tent where we were to
meet the others for lunch, Tom and the