to marry him, he hasn't
even told me he cared."

"But he does both now," said Peter Rolls, Jr., on the threshold.

As he spoke he came into the room with a few long, quick steps that
took him straight to Win, as if he wanted to protect her against his
father if need be. And timidly, yet firmly, he was followed by Mrs.
Rolls, wearing the new gray wrap.

"I'd have told you long ago if I'd had the chance," he went on. "I
told father this morning that I'd loved you ever since the first
minute I saw you, and that you were the only girl who ever was or ever
would be. I don't know what he's been saying to you, but I felt he
meant to--to--see what you were like. So I came. And nothing matters
if you can care a little and have faith enough in me to---"

"That's just what she doesn't do and hasn't got!" interpolated Peter
senior. "The girl's been calling you every name she could turn her
tongue to. Said she was warned against you by some woman--she wouldn't
tell me who it was---"

"I know who it was," put in his son.

"You do? We'll send her a writ, then---"

"We can't. She isn't in the country just now."

"I did say the most hateful things," Win admitted, "because your
father made me so angry. And--_he defended you_ against me! He said
nobody but a fool could ever for a minute have believed such things
were true. And he was perfectly right. Can you forgive me?"

"Why, I love you, you know," said Peter. "And whether you ever
believed anything wrong of me or not, I--I almost think you love me a
little now to make up. You couldn't look at me like that if you
didn't, could you? It wouldn't be fair."

"I mustn't look at you at all, then," Win answered, pushing him gently
away as he tried to take her hands. "Please let me go. I can't---"

"_I_ wouldn't let you go, if he did, my dear," said a gentle voice
that had not spoken yet. "I guess a girl that saves people from
themselves when they're on fire, burning up, and don't know in the
least what they're doing, would be just the kind of new daughter we
would like to have now when we have to let our own leave us. Why, you
would be worth your weight in gold at our house. Isn't that so,
Father?"

For once mother had finished four consecutive sentences in her
husband's presence. But this was an unusual occasion It seemed to her
that its like could never come again, and that here was her chance of
a lifetime to stand by Petro.

"H-m!" grunted Peter senior. "The girl ain't a