n many men and
women get to be in a good many years; but we're enemies, and apart,
now. At least you have seen me pretty much as I am--a savage--not
much more. I've seen you for what you are--one woman out of
hundreds, of thousands. There isn't going to be any woman in my
life, after you.--Would you mind handing me that paper, please?"

He passed the document to her opened. "Here's what I meant to do
if I didn't come through. It wasn't much. But I am to pay; and if
I had died, that was all I could pay. That's my last will and
testament, my dear girl. I have left you all I have. It is a
legal will. There'll never be any codicil."

She looked at him straight. "It is not valid," she said. "Surely
you are not of sound mind!"

He looked about him at the room, for the first time in his memory
immaculately neat. From a distance there came the sound of a
contented servant's voice. An air of rest and peace seemed in some
way to be all about him. He sighed. "I never will be of sound
mind again, I fear.

"Make this paper valid!" he suddenly demanded. "Give me my sound
mind too. You've given me back my body sound."

Her lips parted in a smile sufficient to show the row of her white
and even teeth, "You are getting well. It is time for me to go.
As to this--" She handed him back the paper folded.

"You think it's only an attempt to heal the soreness of my
conscience, don't you?" he said after a time, shaking his head.
"It was; but it was more. Well, you can't put your image out of my
heart, anyhow. I've got that. So you're going to leave me now?
Soon? Let it be soon. I suppose it has to come."

"My own affairs require me. There is no possible tenure on which I
could stay here much longer. Not even Jeanne--"

"No," said he, at length, again in conviction, shaking his head.
"There isn't any way."

"You make it so hard," said she. "Why are you so stubborn?"

"Listen!" He turned, and again there came back to his face the old
fighting flush. "I faced the loss of a limb and said I couldn't
stand that and live. Now you are going to cut the heart out of me.
You ask me to live in spite of that. How can I? Were you ever
married, Madam?" This last suddenly.

"You may regard it as true," said she slowly, after long
hesitation. "Were you?"

"You may regard that also as true!" He set his jaw, and looked at
her straight. Their eyes met, steadily, seeking, searching. They
now again, opposed, sto