--that she had seen
it in my face for weeks. She begged that I would let her help me bear
it. Then I told her the truth, and discovered--for I didn't know her
before--one of the noblest women in the world. She hid her face in the
pillow, and then I had a bad moment.

"'"Why did you do it?" she asked as soon as she could speak.

"'And I said: "We've been foolish--trying to keep up with Harry and
the rest of them. It was my fault. I ought to have told you that I
couldn't go the pace."

"'She saw the truth in a flash, and the old-fashioned woman in her got
to work.

"'"Roger, get up and dress yourself," said she. "We will go and see
your partners to-night. We will go together, for I am as guilty as
you. We will tell them the truth and beg for time. Maybe we can get
the money."

"'We started in our motor-car about one o'clock for the city, on dark
and muddy roads. Some ten miles out we broke an axle and left car and
driver and went on afoot. My wife wouldn't wait. No trains were
running. But we could get a trolley five miles down the road. So we
went on in the dark and silence. I put my arm around her, and not a
word passed between us for an hour or so. I don't know what she was
thinking of, but I was trying to count my follies. It began to rain,
and I felt sorry for Bess, and took off my coat and threw it over
her.'

"'"I don't mind the rain," she said. "It will cool me."

"'We were a sight when we got to the trolley, and just before daylight
we rang the bell of the senior partner. Our weariness and muddy shoes
and rain-soaked garments were a help to us. They touched his heart,
sir. Anyhow, he gave me a week of grace in which to make good. I must
get the money somehow, and I want your advice about it.'

"'I'm glad of one part of it all,' I said--'that you have discovered
each other and learned that you are human beings of a pretty good
sort. I've much more respect for both of you than I ever had before.'

"He looked at me in surprise.

"'Oh, you are a better man than you were three months ago!' I answered
him. 'You happen to have run against the law, and it's shocked and
frightened you. But you are improving. Long ago you began to incur
debts which you couldn't pay, and you must have known that you
couldn't pay them. In that manner you became possessed of a large sum
of money belonging to other people. It was used not for necessities,
but to maintain a foolish display. That is the most heartless kind of
fraud