e at what time you joined the crew of the _Belle
Julie_?"

The question did not surprise him, nor did he attempt to evade it.

"Between twelve and one o'clock, the day before yesterday."

"Will you tell me where you were at eleven o'clock that day?"

"Yes, if you ask me."

"I do ask you."

"I was in a certain business building in New Orleans, as near to you as
I am now. Is that sufficiently definite?"

"It is. I thought perhaps--I had hoped--Oh, for goodness' sake, why did
you do it?" she burst out, no longer able to fence with the weapons of
indirectness.

He answered her frankly.

"It was the old story of one man's over-plenty and another man's need.
Have you ever known what it means to go hungry for sheer poverty's
sake?--but, of course, you haven't."

"No," she admitted.

"Well, I have; I was hungry that morning; very hungry. I know this
doesn't excuse the thing--to you. But perhaps it may help to explain
it."

"I think I can understand--a little. But surely----"

He stopped her with a quick little gesture.

"I know what you are going to say: that I should have been willing to
work, or even to beg, rather than steal. I was willing to work; I was
not willing to beg. I know it is all wrong from your point of view; but
I should be sorry to have you think that I did what _I_ believed to be
wrong."

"Surely you must know it is wrong?"

"Pardon me, but I can't admit that. If I could, you would be relieved of
what is doubtless a very painful duty. I should surrender myself at
once."

"But think of it; if you are right, every one else must be wrong!"

"No; not quite every one. But that is a very large question, and we
needn't go into it. I confess that my method was unconventional; a
little more summary than that of the usurers and the strictly legal
robbers, but quite as defensible. For they rob the poor and the
helpless, while I merely dispossessed one rich corporation of a portion
of its exactions from the many."

"Then you are not sorry? I saw you yesterday afternoon and hoped you
were."

He laughed unpleasantly. "I was sorry, then, and I am now; for the same
reason. I have lost the money."

"Lost it?" she gasped, "How?"

"I had hidden it, and I suppose some one else has found it. It is all
right, so far as the ownership is concerned; but I am still self-centred
enough to be chagrined about it."

"But that is nothing!" she protested, with sharp regret in her voice;
"now you can never ret