t if I am permitted to live I shall be different. I will do
something."

"First of all, get well," he said, and his words had the force of a
command. "Give me your hand."

She complied, and he took it in a firm clasp. "Now I want you to
promise me you'll turn your mind from darkness to the light, from the
canons to the peaks--that you will determine to live. Do you
promise?"

"I promise."

"Very well. I shall see that you keep that promise."

CHAPTER II

It was rather curious to see that as she grew in strength Clement lost
in assertiveness--in his feeling of command. He began to comprehend
that with returning health the girl was not altogether pitiable. She
had culture, social position and wealth.

The distinction of his readily-acquired millions grew to be a very
poor possession in his own mind--in fact, he came at last to such
self-confessed utter poverty of mind and body that he wondered at her
continued toleration. He ceased to plead any special worthiness on his
own part and began to throw himself on her mercy.

As the time came on when she no longer needed his arm for support he
found it hard to offer it as an act of gallantry. In fact, in that
small act was typified the change which he came ultimately to assume.
At first she had seemed to him like an angelic child. Death's shadows
had made him bold--but now he could not deceive himself: he was coming
to love her in a very human and definite fashion. He dared not refer
to the past in any way, and his visits grew more and more formal and
carefully accounted for.

She thought she understood all this, and was serenely untroubled by
it. She brooded over the problem with dreamful lips and half-shut
eyes. She was drifting back to life on a current of mountain air
companioned by splendid clouds, and her content was like to the
lotus-eater's languor--it held no thought of time or tide.

That she idealized him was true, but he grew richly in grace. All the
small amenities of conduct which he once possessed came back to him.
He studied to please her, and succeeded in that as in his other
ventures. He did not exactly abandon his business, but he came to
superintend his superintendents.

However, he attached a telephone to his mine in order to be able to
direct his business from the Springs. He still roomed at the hotel,
though Ellice was living in a private house farther up the canon. His
rooms were becoming filled with books and magazines, and he was