getting redder. "I don't know--I only thought you
might--it might--amuse you--to know that I haven't changed----"

"As others have? Is that what you mean, Bunny?"

"No, no, I didn't think--I didn't mean----"

"Yes, you did. Why not say it to me? You mean that you, and others, have
heard rumours. You mean that you, unlike others, are trying to make me
understand that you are still loyal to me. Is that it?"

"Y-yes. Good Lord! Loyal! Why, of course I am. Why, you didn't suppose
I'd be anything else, did you?"

She opened her pallid lips to speak and could not.

"Loyal!" he repeated indignantly. "There's no merit in that when a man's
been in love with a girl all his life and didn't know it until she'd got
good and tired of him! You know I'm for you every time, Sylvia; what's
the game in pretending you didn't know it?"

"No game.... I didn't--know it."

"Well, you do now, don't you?"

Her face was colourless as marble. She said, looking at him: "Suppose
the rumour is true?"

His face flamed: "You don't know what you are saying!" he retorted,
horrified.

"Suppose it is true?"

"Sylvia--for Heaven's sake----"

"Suppose it _is_ true," she repeated in a dead, even voice; "how loyal
would you remain to me then?"

"As loyal as I am now!" he answered angrily, "if you insist on my
answering such a silly question----"

"Is that your answer?"

"Certainly. But----"

"Are you _sure_?"

He glared at her; something struck coldly through him, checking breath
and pulse, then releasing both till the heavy beating of his heart made
speech impossible.

"I thought you were not sure," she said.

"I _am_ sure!" he broke out. "Good God, Sylvia, what are you doing to
me?"

"Destroying your faith in me."

"You can't! I love you!"

She gave a little gasp:

"The rumour _is_ true," she said.

He reeled to his feet; she sat looking up at him, white, silent hands
twisted on her lap.

"Now you know," she managed to say. "Why don't you go? If you've any
self-respect, you'll go. I've told you what I am; do you want me to
speak more plainly?"

"Yes," he said between his teeth.

"Very well; what do you wish to know?"

"Only one thing.... Do you--care for him?"

She sat, minute after minute, head bent, thinking, thinking. He never
moved a muscle; and at last she lifted her head.

"No," she said.

"Could you care for--me?"

She made a gesture as though to check him, half rose, fell back, sat
swaying a moment, an