ce of
the constraint he put upon his voice. It gave her courage to go on.

"I could not get it told then. I did not know the phrases--and you
were so happy, my darling--so happy when you met me at the station!
Oh, how could I? But I was wrong. I ought not to have let you marry
me, not knowing. And then ... it seemed deception, and I could not
right it...." Her voice broke again, as she hid her face on his
shoulder; but she knew her safety in the kiss she felt on her free
hand, and the gentleness of his that stroked her hair. Then she
heard his almost whispered words above her head, close to her ear:

"Darling, forgive me--forgive me! It was _I_ that was in fault.
I might have known...."

"Gerry, dear ... no!..."

"Yes, I might. There was a woman there--had been an officer's wife.
She came to me and spoke rough truths about it--told me her notion of
the tale in her own language. 'Put her away from you,' she said, 'and
you won't get another like her, and won't deserve her!' And she was
right, poor thing! But I was headstrong and obstinate, and would not
hear her. Oh, my darling, _how_ we have paid for it!"

"But you have found me again, dear love!" He did not answer, but
raised up her face from his shoulder, parting the loose hair
tenderly--for it was all free on her shoulders--and gazing straight
into her eyes with an expression of utter bewilderment. "Yes, darling,
what is it?" said she, as though he had spoken.

"I am getting fogged!" he said, "and cannot make it out. Was it pure
accident? Surely something must have happened to bring it about."

"Bring what about?"

"How came we to find each other again, I mean?"

"Oh, I see! Pure accident, I should say, dear! Why not? It would not
have happened if it had not been possible. Thank God it did!"

"Thank God it did! But think of the strangeness of it all! How came
Sally in that train?"

"Why not, darling? Where else could she have been? She was coming
back to tea, as usual."

"And she put me in a cab--bless her!--she and Conrad Vereker--and
brought me home to you. But did you know me at once, darling?"

"At once."

"But why didn't you tell me?"

"If you had shown the slightest sign of knowing me I should have told
you, and taken my chance; but you only looked at me and smiled, and
never knew me! Was mine a good plan? At least, it has answered." A
clasp and a kiss was the reply. She was glad that he should choose the
line of conversation, and did not bre