am sure she loves you. I thought
it was I, at first, but since this afternoon I have changed my mind.
Why can't you be different? You are not a fit man to marry any honest
woman now, and when I thought of your record I doubted that you ever
would be. I was sure you would not, but--see here, old man! Throw the
past aside! A fellow that's got it in him to do what you have done for
the South--why can't you control yourself? Turn over a new leaf. I love
her, too. She's more to me than life itself, but her happiness is more
than mine. If she loves you, and wants you, make yourself worthy of
her. By heaven, I'll help you, if it kills me! You thought I was harsh
to-day. I swear to you if you succeed nobody will acknowledge it
quicker than I!"

"Will you tell her so?"

"I will!"

"Rhett," said the other man, stretching out his hand, "the woman I love
has this day honored me, but by heaven I believe you have honored me
more. I did think it was a low-down trick for you to go to Miss Glen,
but I know why you did it, and you were right. It's too late. I can
never be anything different. My father and grandfather both died in
drunken sprees--it's in my blood. I can't help it. I've had a chance or
two to do something a little out of the ordinary in this war, thank God
for it, but I suppose the reason I was able to carry it through was
that I cared little whether I lived or died. No, that isn't true. I'd
rather die than live, but I would like to go out of existence doing
something fine and noble. I--I--might get a better chance on the other
side, then, you know. Life is nothing to me, and there are no
possibilities in it."

He spoke bitterly. It was rare that any one saw him in that mood.

"I tell you I'm cursed! I wouldn't take that girl if she did accept me.
I only wanted to trouble you. Well, no, not exactly that, either. I
love her, God knows, but the devil's got me in his grip and--"

"I can't understand it," said Sempland, vaguely.

"Of course you can't. You're so strong and so self-contained--such as
you never can understand such as I. But to be a drunkard, and a
gambler, and a--"

He stopped and threw up his hands, and then dropped them heavily by his
side.

"It's in my blood, I tell you! It is not all my fault. Yet there is
good in me, enough good to make me go mad if I stop to think of it. I
want some way to get out of this life with honor. I leave the field for
you."

"She doesn't love--"

"You're a fool, Se