solute self-mastery which was a dominant note in her nature, she
presently controlled herself. The picture that his words had created in
her imagination was alluring in the extreme. But she was strong enough
to put the dream of happiness aside.

"You do not know all," she said. "You have not heard all I have to tell
you. You haven't heard the most important part of it. I have only told
you what I thought on that evening when--when you asked--questions. I
still think that ought to settle the matter, but you seem to
think--perhaps you might have convinced me, or at least--oh, you don't
know! There are other reasons--stronger reasons, reasons that nothing
can remove."

"Tell me of them. I can imagine no reason whatever that could satisfy
me."

"It is very hard to tell. You know I never knew my parents. Both my
mother and my father died on the day I was born. I seem to know my
mother, because auntie loved her so much, and has talked to me so much
about her all my life. But she never talked to me much about my father.
His family was a good one--his father having been a banker, with some
reputation as an artist also, and my father was his partner in business.
But that is all I know of my father--no, that isn't what I meant to say.
I meant to say that that is all my aunt ever told me about him, and all
I knew until the night when you asked me--questions. After you went away
that evening, I went to my room and thought the matter out. I have
already told you what conclusions I reached. When I had decided, I went
to auntie's room and sat on the side of her bed and told her
everything. She cried very bitterly--I didn't understand why at first.
After a while she said she didn't at all agree with me in my
conclusions, and added:

"'If the things you mention were all, Bab, I should tell you to stop
thinking of them, and let Mr. Duncan judge for himself. But there is
something else, Bab--something very dreadful. I never intended to tell
you of it, but now I must. You would find it out very soon, for Tandy's
wife knows it, and if she heard that there was anything between you and
Mr. Duncan, she would make haste to talk of it--particularly after what
has happened between Tandy and Mr. Duncan. Then you would never forgive
me for not telling you.'

"She went on then, and told me what I must tell you. She told me, Mr.
Duncan, that I am the daughter of a Thief!"

The girl paused, unable to go on. Duncan saw that she was suffering
ac