for love! so said every throb of the pulse of
the man regarding her. And now, most of all, pity of her just
because she was woman was the thought first in his soul. Already
he was beginning to pay, and as she had said!

"You don't answer me," said he, at length, gently. "I can imagine
your ambitions; but I don't learn enough of _you_."

"No," said she, with a deep breath. "As you said, we part, each
with secrets untold. To you, I am of no consequence. Very well.
I was born, no matter where, but free and equal to yourself, I
fancy. I came here in the pursuit of life and liberty, and of the
days of my remaining unhappiness. I suppose this must be your
answer."

"You speak, at least, as though you had studied life--and history."

"I have lived. And I have seen some history made--for a cause.
Sir, a great cause. Men will fight for that again, here, on this
soil, not under man-made laws, but under a higher and greater law.
You love my body. You do not love my mind. I love them, both.
Yes, I am student of the law. Humanity! Is it not larger than we?
Is this narrow, selfish life of yours all you can see--of life--of
this law?"

"Yes," said Dunwody, grinning painfully. "I reckon maybe it was
one of those 'higher law' abolitionists that shot me!"

"Shot? What do you mean?" Forgetting philosophy, she turned
swiftly. Yet even as she spoke she now for the first time caught
sight of the dark rimmed rent in his trousers leg, noted the uneasy
fashion in which he held his weight.

"No one told me you were hurt--I thought you only tired, or perhaps
bruised by some accident--when you fell, in there."

"No; shot," he replied. "Shot right in here, through the edge of
the bone. When I tripped and fell, there in the hall, I broke the
bone short off--it was only nicked at first."

"And you have been standing here, talking to me, with _that_?" She
stepped to him swiftly and placed a hand under his arm. "You must
go in. Come. Can you walk?"

Through his nerves, racked as they were, there swept a flood of
joy, more sweet than that of any drug. He could see the blown hair
about her ears, see the round of her neck, the curve of her body as
she bent to aid him, putting her free arm under his, forgetful of
everything in her woman's wish to allay suffering, to brood, to
protect, to increase life. They passed through the door toward the
foot of the stairs. Here she turned to him.

"The pain is very great?" she