f us have made mistakes before now! If he hadn't
forced on me one condition which I would have liked to be different,
I'd rather have had to mention no other man at all. This isn't the way
I'd have chosen to tell you how much I care. I'd rather have told you,
a little at a time, but there isn't time for that now. So maybe it'll
sound crude to you. I've not rehearsed it with any other woman, you
see. And if it does sound that way it won't help me much, either, will
it? But you're going to believe what I say!

"You started back a dozen years or so, in order to make your
explanation clear. I'm starting there myself, so I'll be sure you
understand. You've been grieving because you hurt me--hurt me twice.
Will you stop now, if I tell you that I wouldn't exchange those
two--shall we call them wounds--for all the kindnesses of all the other
women in the world? I did believe that you didn't think me good
enough, that first time. That was why I was cut deeper than you'll
ever know, because I knew it was only the truth. I admitted
it--remember? I admitted it when I said I was coming back. Well, I'm
back now--and I'm still not good enough, and not because I haven't
tried to be, either. I'm just not admitting any man alive could be
that. But I'm telling you, too, in the same breath, that the man who
takes you will have to prove he's a whole lot better--before I stand
aside!"

For the first time since he had begun the girl moved. Her head leaped
back; she half lifted one hand in protest, but the very gladness in his
face silenced her.

"My turn," he reminded her quizzically. "You made the bargain, you
know. You've just finished a rather involved bit of reasoning
concerning the way other women love, a lot of which I'll have to
confess I didn't attend as closely as I should have. Perhaps that's
because no man's method of caring has ever interested me a great deal,
except my own.

"I loved you when you were a little bit of a girl--because I loved you!
And I love you that way now. Your face was the first woman face I ever
looked on--and--really--saw. And since that first morning it's been
with me--been with me a lot of times when I didn't have anything else
to look up to. I've been less hungry, for thought of you; less
thirsty, when the road got pretty long at times. I--I worshiped you,
do you hear? Why, I've prayed to you, dumbly, wordlessly, out of black
bitterness, when it seemed that any other divinity