d forward
in her chair, her hands clasped tightly together. "But don't give up
hope yet," she went on earnestly. "You've only had one specialist's
opinion. He might easily be wrong. After a time, you may be walking
about again as well as any other man. I've heard of such cases."

"And I suppose you're banking on the hope that mine's one of them, so
that you'll not be tied to a helpless log for a husband. Is that it?"

She shrank back, hurt to the core of her. If he were to be always like
this--prey to a kind of ferocious suspicion of every word and act of
hers, then the outlook for the future was dark indeed. The burden of
it would be more than she could bear.

Roger, seeing her wince, gestured apologetically.

"I didn't mean quite all that," he said quickly. "I'm rather like a
newly-caged wild beast--savage even with its keeper. Still, any woman
might be forgiven for preferring to marry a sound man rather than a
cripple. You're ready to go on with the deal, Nan?"

"Yes, I'm ready," she answered in a low voice.

"Have you realised all it means? I'm none too amiable at the best of
times"--grimly. "And my temper's not likely to improve now I'm tied by
the leg. You'll have to fetch and carry, and put up with all the whims
and tantrums of a very sick man. Are you really sure of yourself?"

"Quite sure."

His hawk's eyes flashed over her face, as though he would pierce
through the veil of her grave and tranquil expression.

"Even though Peter Mallory's free to marry you now?" he demanded
suddenly.

"Peter!" The word came in a shrinking whisper. She threw out her
hands appealingly. "Roger, can't we leave the past behind? We've each
a good deal"--her thoughts flew back to that dreadful episode in the
improvised studio--"a good deal to forgive. Let us put the past quite
away--on the top shelf"--with a wavering little laugh--"and leave it
there. I've told you I'm willing to be your wife. Let's start afresh
from that. I'll marry you as soon as you like."

After a long pause:

"I believe you really would!" said Roger with a note of sheer
wonderment in his voice.

"I've just said so."

"Well, my dear"--he smiled briefly--"thank you very much for the offer,
but I'm not going to accept it."

"Not going to accept it!" she repeated, utterly bewildered. "But you
can't--you won't refuse!"

"I can and I do--entirely refuse to marry you."

Nan began to think his mind was wandering.

"No," he