you need anything, please call."

He had reached the door and the knob had turned under his hand when she
gave a cry, between a sob and a plea. He swung quickly about.

"Don't leave me, please!" she pleaded. "I mean, don't go on my
account."

"But I seem to be disturbing you, and I don't wish to do that," he said
kindly.

She broke down completely. "Oh, I do need you so much! Please stay! I'm
afraid, afraid of everything, afraid of myself! You said one should keep
a cool head, but I can't! I can't! I've tried so hard. Oh, Mack--Mr.
McGowan, please help me!"

She finished her broken plea in muffled sobs in the folds of his coat.
He drew her against him till his arms ached. She knew now that she could
make of her love for this man no voluntary offering in order to save her
father humiliation. All afternoon and evening she had been forming that
resolution. But this love that had come to her, pure and undefiled from
the hand of God, could not be denied for the sins of one man, even
though that man be her own father. She felt herself being swept out into
an engulfing current, nor did she wish to stay its overwhelming power.
For the first time that afternoon she was conscious of real strength.

Mr. McGowan tried to lift her face from his shoulder, but she clung the
closer.

"I want to look at you," he said jubilantly.

"Not just yet!" she sobbed. "I want to get used to this."

"Then, let me hear you say you love me!" entreated the man.

"Mack McGowan, I love you!" She drew back a pace. "Now, you may look at
me just once, though I don't look like much with my eyes all swelled up
and red."

He drank in the beauty of the face before him. "Thank God! You do love
me! It isn't just pity."

She nodded her head so vigorously that the wisps of fair hair fell about
her large blue eyes. "Yes, I love you, Mack. There, now, you've looked
long enough. Kiss me, please." She lifted her face.

Mr. McGowan was unstintingly obeying the command when a loud knock
jarred the side door. They started and sprang apart.

"Who can that be knocking like that?" asked the girl, hastily tucking
away the stray locks of hair.

"It must be the Captain. But I wonder----"

Elizabeth laughed, and pointed toward a window where the curtain was
above the lower sash. The Captain had seen them!

"I don't care if he did see. Let me go to the door."

She had taken one step in that direction when the door flew back and in
came Mr. James Fox.

"