when did _you_ begin to--care?" she asked shyly.

"From the moment I looked into your eyes at my bungalow, and saw
heroism, truth, and purity."

It was sweet hearing, though she was convinced that he exaggerated her
qualities. "Why then did you hide it so long?"

"I was fighting the biggest fight of my life."

"And have you won?"

"Won?" he laughed harshly. "No. I have lost, but it's worth it," kissing
her defiantly. "Can you guess how much I love you? When I was ill I used
to dream of you. I even thought you came to me and said you loved me!"

"I did. I was beside you, but you were delirious with fever, and I was
sure afterwards that what you said meant nothing."

"You were there? I often wondered about it, but dared not ask for fear
of disillusionment. The dream was so dear!"

"And when you recovered, you never tried to see me!"

"I was fighting my big fight which I have lost," he returned recklessly.

"So I tried to teach myself to forget."

"And you couldn't?"

"Oh, no. It was too late!" she sighed happily.

"Blessed fidelity! and now you confess that you love me. Say it!"

"I love you!" A few minutes passed in silence while he demonstrated his
transports of delight in true lover fashion.

"When you were angry with me over Elsie Meek's case, I went mad and did
a succession of hideous things. How can you love such a monster?"

Honor drew his face closer and laid her cheek to his.

"I hated everybody--I even tried to hate you, but it was impossible. I
resented the happiness of other men. I tried my best to break up a man's
home after partaking of his hospitality. Do you care to kiss me now?"

Honor kissed him tenderly. "I watched it all with such suffering!"

"You did? God forgive me! Did you know that it is not to my credit that
Mrs. Meredith is an honest woman today?"

"I know all about it."

"She told you? I might have known it! Women like Joyce Meredith talk.
But she is a good little woman. As for me!--I am unfit to kiss your
boot. Even now, I am the greatest blackguard unhung,--the meanest
coward, for I cannot bring myself to renounce my heart's desire!" He
held her from him and looked into her face with haggard eyes. "Send me
away! Say you will have nothing to do with me!--I shall then trouble you
no more."

With a happy laugh Honor flung herself on his breast. "Send you
away?--now?" The thing was clearly impossible. And why should she?
However wickedly he had behaved in the past it mat