hort a time before.

She assented nervously.

"Jerry went into the city. He won't be back yet."

"That's kind of you," said Kenyon quietly.

She did not ask him to sit down. They faced each other on the hearthrug.
The strong glare of the electric light showed him that she was very
pale.

Abruptly he thrust out his hand to her.

"You must forgive me for bullying your brother the other day," he said.
"Really, he deserved it."

She glanced up quickly.

"Jerry doesn't understand," she said.

He kept his hand outstretched though she did not take it.

"I don't understand, either," he said.

"Do you really want to shake hands with me?" she murmured, her voice
very low.

"I want to hold your hand in mine, if I may," he answered simply. "I
think it will help to solve the difficulty. Thank you! Yes; I thought
you were trembling. Now, why, I wonder?"

She did not answer him. Her head was bent.

"Don't!" he said gently. "There is no cause. Didn't I tell you I would
shunt if you didn't want me?"

Still she was silent, her hand lying passive in his.

"Come!" he said. "I want to understand, don't you know. That note of
yours. You say in it that you accepted me for the sake of my money. Even
so. But I reckon that is more a reason for sticking to me than for
throwing me over."

He paused, but her head only drooped a little lower.

"Doesn't that reason still exist?" he asked her, point blank.

She shivered at the direct question, but she answered it.

"Yes; it does. And that's why I'm ashamed to go on."

"Why ashamed?" he asked. "How do you know my reason for wanting to marry
you is as good since I never told you what it was?"

She looked up then, suddenly and swiftly, and caught a curious glint in
the blue eyes that watched her.

"I do know," she said, speaking quickly, impulsively. "And that's why--I
can't bear--that you should despise me."

"Ah!" he said. "Do you really care what an outsider like myself thinks
of you?"

The colour flamed suddenly in her white face, but he went on in his
quiet drawl as if he had not seen it:

"If I thought it was for your happiness, believe me, I would set you
free. But, so far, you haven't given me any reason that could justify
such a step. Can't you think of one? Honestly, now?"

She shook her head. Her eyes were full of blinding tears.

"What is it, then?" urged Kenyon. And suddenly his voice was as soft as
a woman's. "Has the right man turned up unexpectedly, af