and. Are
you urging me to marry Herbert Bayliss?"

"No. I am not urging you, of course. But if you do care for him--"

"I do not."

"Oh, you don't love him?"

I wonder if there was relief in my tone. There should not have been, of
course, but I fear there was.

"No, I do not--love him. He is a gentleman and I like him well enough,
but not in that way. Please don't say any more."

"Very well. I only meant--Tell me this, if you will: Is there someone
you do care for?"

She did not answer. I had offended her again. She had cause to be
offended. What business was it of mine?

"I beg your pardon," I said, humbly. "I should not have asked that. I
have no right to ask it. But if there is someone for whom you care in
that way and he cares for you, it--"

"Oh, don't, don't! He doesn't."

"Then there is someone?"

She was silent. I tried to speak like a man, like the man I was
pretending to be.

"I am glad to know it," I said. "If you care for him he must care for
you. He cannot help it. I am sure you will be happy by and by. I can
leave you here now with more--with less reluctance. I--"

I could not trust myself to go on, although I tried to do so. She
answered, without looking at me.

"Yes," she said, "you can leave me now. I am safe and--and happy.
Good-by."

I took her hand.

"Good-by," I said. "Forgive me for coming. I shall not trouble you
again. This time I promise. You may not wish to write us, but we shall
write you. And I--I hope you won't forget us."

It was a lame conclusion and trite enough. She must have thought so.

"I shall not forget you," she said, simply. "And I will try to write
occasionally. Yes, I will try. Now please go. Good-by."

I went, without looking back. I strode along the paths, scarcely
noticing where I was going. As I neared the corner of the house I heard
voices, loud voices. One of them, though it was not as loud as the
others, was Hephzy's.

"I knew it," she was saying, as I turned the corner. "I knew it. I knew
there was some reason, some mean selfish reason why you were willin' to
take that girl under your wing. I knew it wasn't kind-heartedness and
relationship. I knew it."

It was Solomon Cripps who answered. Mr. and Mrs. Cripps, arrayed in
their Sabbath black and white, were standing by the door of their villa.
Hephzy was standing before them. Her face was set and determined and she
looked highly indignant. Mr. Cripps' face was red and frowning and he
gesticul