uch men as you--lived. I
was what Jude and St. Ange had made me. I was afraid of you--but," she
bent over him in divine pity pressing her wet cheek to his bowed head;
"but I grew to know! You were far, far above me, I soon saw how far. You
never thought about it, but it made it safe for you to help me. I can
see it all so plain now.

"Then the evil that was in me, the evil that some might have made so
vile, slipped away. I tried hard to be what you wanted me to be for my
own sake. You did not think of the past and I tried to forget it, too;
and so we came along to this night.

"In that room"--she looked quiveringly at the closed door--"for a
moment, I misunderstood again. I thought you were trifling with me. I
think I felt for the first time that perhaps I was _not_ what I had
been--when I came out of the old life! I wanted to make sure, and I
stooped to the meanest way."

Gaston drew her close. Vaguely he feared that she was slipping farther
and farther from him for all her sweetness and nearness.

"Joyce!" he cried wildly. "_You_ are not going to desert me--now?"

She dropped beside him and clasped her hands over his knee. There was no
need of reserve, she knew that better than he.

"Can you not see what sort of man you are?" she asked fiercely; while
the tears fell thick and fast.

"Oh! I love you many, many ways. I can tell you this now and you must
not stop me. I love you for them who left you alone to suffer. I love
you just for myself, and I love you as I would have loved my poor baby
had God let me keep him. And that is the best way of all, for it holds
all other loves.

"Oh, you must see! You shall see! The men out in your world--could any
of them have done what you have done--for me? Even Mr. Drew could not
understand. Even _he_ thought you must have harmed me--he felt sorry for
_me_! And knowing what _I_ know, do you, could any of those others,
think I would let you harm--yourself?

"You have made me a stronger woman than even you tried to make me, and I
thank God for that--for you need me so very, very much!"

The deep sobs choked her, and she buried her head against his arm. Out
of a desolation her words were creating, Gaston spoke desperately.

"I do need you, and by heaven, I mean to have you!"

"You're right. I did not know what you meant to me; I know now, and
since Fate has played us false, we'll--we'll turn our backs on her."

"Joyce, are you willing to--trust me?"

Almost roughly he