ter all? Is it
for his sake?"

"Oh, don't!" she cried passionately. "Don't! You hurt me!"

And, turning sharply from him, she hid her face, and broke into
anguished weeping.

Kenyon stood quite still for perhaps ten seconds; then he moved close to
her, and put his arm round the slight, sobbing figure.

She did not start or attempt to resist him.

"There, there!" he whispered soothingly. "I knew there was a reason.
Don't cry, dear! It will be all right--all right. Never mind the beastly
money. There's going to be a big boom in the Winhalla Railway shares,
and you'll make your fortune over it. Yes; I know all about that. A
friend told me. There's a big capitalist pushing behind. They have gone
down this week, but they are going to rise like a spring tide next. And
then--you'll be free to marry the right man, eh, dear? I sha'n't stand
in your way. I'll even come and dance at the wedding, if you'll have
me."

She uttered a muffled laugh through her tears, and turned slightly
towards him within the encircling arm.

"I hope you will," she murmured. "Because--because--" She broke off, and
became silent.

Dick Kenyon's arm did not slacken.

"If you could make it convenient to finish that sentence of yours, I'd
be real grateful," he observed, at length.

She lifted her face from her hands, and looked him in the eyes. Her own
were shining.

"Because," she said unsteadily, "I couldn't marry the right man--if you
weren't there."

He looked straight back at her without a hint of emotion in his heavy
eyes.

"Quite sure of that?" he asked.

And she laughed again tremulously as she made reply.

"Quite sure, Dick," she said softly, "though I've only just found it
out."

* * * * *

Jerry, tearing in a little later, brimful of city news, noticed that his
sister's face was brighter than usual, but failed, in his excitement, to
perceive a visitor in the room, the visitor not troubling himself to
rise at his entrance.

"News, Vi!" he shouted. "Gorgeous news! The Winhalla Railway is turning
up trumps! The shares are simply flying up. I told Gardner I'd sell at
fifty, but he says they are worth holding on to, for they'll go above
that. He vows they're safe. And who do you think is the capitalist
that's pushing behind? Why, Kenyon!"

He broke off abruptly at this point as Kenyon himself arose leisurely
with a serene smile and outstretched hand.

"Exactly--Kenyon!" he said. "But if you