th, putting
it in a way that would get her sympathies. Surely he could have done
that had he told her the story as he knew it, made her feel what Ruth
had suffered, how tormented and bewildered and desperate she had been.
Now she had the town's side and naturally resented his championing of
what was presented as so outrageous a thing. He went over the story as
Edith would give it. That was enough to vindicate Amy.

He rose and followed her into the house. She was fingering some music on
the piano. He saw how flushed her face was, how high she carried her
head and how quick her breathing.

He went and put his arms around her. "Sweetheart," he said very simply
and gently, "I love you. You know that, don't you?"

An instant she held back in conflict. Then she hid her face against him
and sobbed. He held her close and murmured soothing little things.

She was saying something. "I was so happy," he made out the smothered
words. "It was all so--beautiful."

"But you're happy _now_," he insisted. "It's beautiful _now_."

"I feel as if my marriage was being--spoiled," she choked.

He shook her, playfully, but his voice as he spoke was not playful.
"Look here, Amy, don't say such a thing. Don't let such a thing get into
your head for an instant! Our happiness isn't a thing to talk like that
about."

"I feel as if--_that woman_--was standing between us!"

He raised her face and made her look into his own, at once stern and
very tender. "Amy love, we've got to stop this right _now_. A long time
ago--more than ten years ago--there was a girl here who had an awfully
hard time. I was sorry for her. I'm sorry for her now. Life's hit her
good and hard. We're among the fortunate people things go right for. We
can be together--happy, having friends, everybody approving, everybody
good to us. We're mighty lucky that it is that way. And isn't our own
happiness going to make us a little sorry for people who are outside all
this?" He kissed her. "Come now, sweetheart, you're not going to harden
up like that. Why, that wouldn't be _you_ at all!"

She was quiet; after a little she smiled up at him, the sweet,
reminiscently plaintive little smile of one just comforted. For the
moment, at least, love had won her. "Sometime I'll tell you anything
about it you want to know," he said, holding her tenderly and smoothing
her hair. "Meanwhile--let's forget it. Come on now, honey, change your
dress--get into something warmer and go for a rid