ner of the desk, close into
his arms.

"Fledra, for God's sake, tell me what has made you so unhappy! Will you,
child? Isn't it something that I ought to know? Poor little girly, don't
cry that way! It breaks my heart to hear you!"

There was inexplicable weariness on the fair young face.

"I want to stay here," moaned Flea; "but what I have that hurts me is
here." She drew his fingers close over her heart. "It isn't anything
anybody can help--just yet."

"I could help you, Fledra," Horace insisted. "Every man has the power
to help the woman he loves, and you are a woman, Fledra."

"I want to be your woman."

Young as she was, Fledra was an enigma to him. There was but one way to
make her his woman,--his wife,--that was to force her confidence, and,
once obtained, keep it. But his longing to caress her was stronger than
his desire to conquer her,--the warmth and softness of her lips he would
not exchange for the world's wealth!

"Sweetheart, Sweetheart!" he said, reddening. "I'm sorry that I spoke as
I did last night,--I was angry,--but I've had such awful moods lately!
Sometimes I've felt as if I could whip you to make you tell me!"

A thrill ran over Fledra from head to foot.

"Beat me--will you beat me?" she murmured, drawing his hand across her
moist lips. "I'd love to have you beat me! Pappy Lon always said that a
woman needed beatin' to make her stand around. Then, when I saw you, I
thought as how princes never beat their women; but now I know you have
to."

If the young face had been less earnest, the gray eyes less entreating,
Horace would have laughed despite his anger.

"Of course, I shan't whip you, child," he said; "only I want you to
prove your love for me by trusting me. You're a woman, Fledra. It would
be an outrage to punish you that way. Then, too, I love you too well to
hurt you."

She watched him for one tense moment. She was quivering under his firm
grasp like a leaf in the wind. Her eyes were entreating him to trust
her, to take her, regardless of her seeming stubbornness.

"Fledra," he whispered, "if the time ever comes that you can, will you
tell me all about it?"

"Yes."

"And you'll not lie again?"

"I've never lied to you!" came sullenly.

"Never, Fledra?"

"Never!"

"And you won't tell another untruth to Ann, either--- not even once?"

Fledra's mind flashed to Everett. She might have to lie to keep Ann's
happiness for her. She slowly drew her hand away, and turned fr