ll of us? What is to become of John,
and Bobby--and you?"

"I--I think I'll kiss you now, Loraine," he whispered almost
tremulously. "God, how I love you, little darling!"

"Don't!" she whispered, resolutely pushing him away after a sweet second
of indecision. "I cannot--I cannot, Truxton dear. Don't ask me to--to do
that. Not now, please--not now!"

He stiffened; his hands dropped to his sides, but there was joy in his
voice.

"I can wait," he said gently. "It's only a matter of a few days; and
I--I won't make it any harder for you just now. I think I understand.
You've--you've sort of pledged yourself to that--to him, and you don't
think it fair to--well, to any of us. I'm including you, you see. I know
you don't love him, and I know that you're going to love me, even if you
don't at this very instant. I'm not a very stupid person, after all. I
can see through things. I saw through it all when he came back for me.
That's why I jumped from his horse and took my chances elsewhere. He did
a plucky thing, Loraine, but I--I couldn't let it go as he intended it
to be. Confound him, I would have died a thousand times over rather than
have you sacrifice yourself in that way. It was splendid of you,
darling, but--but very foolish. You've got yourself into a dreadful mess
over it. I've got to rescue you all over again. This time, thank the
Lord, from a Castle."

She could not help smiling. His joyousness would not be denied.

"How splendid you are!" she said, her voice thrilling with a tone that
could not be mistaken.

He put his hands upon her shoulders and looked down into the beautiful,
upturned face, a genuinely serious note creeping into his voice when he
spoke again.

"Don't misconstrue my light-heartedness, dearest. It's a habit with me,
not a fault. I see the serious side to your affair--as you view it. You
have promised to marry Vos Engo. You'll have to break that promise. He
didn't save me. Colonel Quinnox would have accomplished it, in any
event. He can't hold you to such a silly pledge. You--you haven't by any
chance told him that you love him?" He asked this in sudden anxiety.

"Really, Truxton, I cannot discuss--"

"No, I'm quite sure you haven't," he announced contentedly. "You
couldn't have done that, I know. Now, I want you to make me a promise
that you'll keep."

"Oh, Truxton--don't ask me to say that I'll be your--" She stopped,
painfully embarrassed.

"That will come later," he said consoling