er, blacker depths than ever. To-day of all days! What a
reckoning was due!

The two old men were talking, one lamely supplementing the other's
efforts to lead up to the object of their visit. Gray turned a set face
to Tom Parker finally, and interrupted by saying:

"Permit me to ease your embarrassment, sir. You object to my attentions
to your daughter. Is that it?" Tom dropped his eyes and mumbled an
uncomfortable affirmative. "Not, I hope, because you question the
nature of my intentions?"

"Oh no!"

"I'd say yes and no to that," Halloran declared, argu-mentatively. "Tom
and I are gentlemen of the old school; we live by the code and 'Bob' is
our joint property, in a way. Any man who aspires to the honor
of--well, of even paying attentions to that girl must stand the acid
test. There must be no blot upon his 'scutcheon."

"You imply, then, that there is a blot upon mine?"

"That is what prompts our visit, sir. Can you assure us that there is
none?"

After a moment of hesitation Gray inquired, curiously: "Judge, do you
believe that a man can live down disgrace?"

"Disgrace, yes. Dishonor, never! A man's honor is so sensitive that to
stain it is to wound it. Like the human eye it cannot suffer the
slightest injury without serious damage."

The younger man ignored the pompous tone of this speech; he nodded. "I
see. Someone said also that it is like an island, rugged and without
landing place; and once outside of it we can never re-enter. That is
your idea, I dare say."

"Precisely!"

Tom Parker stirred; irritably he broke out, "I'm damned if I think you
did it!"

"Did what?"

Tom remained silent, but when his companion drew a deep, preparatory
breath, Gray lifted a hand. He rose nervously and in a changed tone
continued:

"Again let me speak for you and shorten our mutual distress. First,
however, I must make my own position plain. I--love your daughter, Mr.
Parker." The declaration came at great cost, the speaker turned away to
hide his emotion. "I think--I hope she is not indifferent to me. I
would give my life to marry her and, God willing, I shall. So much for
that." He swung himself about and met the eyes of first one old man,
then the other. Harshly, defiantly, he added: "Understand me, nothing
you can do, nothing on earth--nothing in Heaven or in hell, for that
matter--will stop me from telling her about my love, when the time
comes. Now then, Henry Nelson has told you that I was--that I was se