ring me," he said. "God alone knows what brought you back
to me."

She leaned against him with a little sigh. "Yes, He knows," she
said softly, "just as He knows what made you stay behind to die
alone. It was the same reason with us both. Don't you understand?"

His arms grew close about her. His lips pressed her forehead.
"Yes," he said. "Yes, I understand."

They spoke later of Kieff and the evil influence he had exerted
over Guy.

"The man was his evil genius," Burke said. "But I couldn't keep
him away when the boy was damaged and there was no one else to
help." He paused a moment. "He was the only man in the world I was
ever afraid of," he said then. "He had an uncanny sort of strength
that I couldn't cope with. And he was such a fiend. When he tried
to get you into his toils--frankly, I was terrified. He had
dragged down so many,"

"And you think--Guy--might have been different but for him?" Sylvia
questioned.

"Yes. I believe I could have kept him straight if it hadn't been
for Kieff. He and Piet Vreiboom were thick as thieves, and between
them the boy got pulled under. I was beat, and Kelly, too."

"Mr. Kelly!" Sylvia gave a slight start; that name reminded her.
"Burke, do you know--I owe him money? I've got to tell you about
that."

She paused in rather painful hesitation; it was hard to tell him
even now what she had sacrificed so much to hide.

But he stopped her. "No. You needn't. I know all about it. I
put Kelly up to the job. The money was mine."

"Burke!" She stared at him in astonishment. "You--knew!"

He nodded. "I guessed a little. And I made Donovan do the rest.
You were so upset about it. Something had to be done."

"Oh, Burke!" she said again.

He went on. "Guy told me all about it too--only a little while
ago. He made a clean breast of everything. He was--awfully
penitent. Look here! We'll forget all that, won't we? Promise me
you'll forget it!" He spoke rapidly, just as Guy would have spoken.
She saw that he was deeply moved. "I was a devil ever to doubt
you. I want to be sure--to be certain sure--that you'll never
think of it again--that you'll forget it all--as if it had never
been."

The earnest appeal in his eyes almost startled her. It brought the
quick tears to her own. She gave him both her hands. "I shall
only remember--one thing," she said. "And that is--your great
goodness to me--from beginning to end."

He made a sound of dissent