Claude threw himself back again on the pillows, but Thor went on,
quietly: "Why do you swear to God you'll never see her again?"

"Because I'm killing her. That is, I should be killing her if she wasn't
the bravest little brick on earth. You don't know her, Thor. You've seen
her, and you know she's pretty; but you don't know that she's as plucky
as they make 'em--pluckier."

Thor answered, wearily, "I've rather guessed that, which is one of the
reasons why I feel you should be true to her."

"I am true to her--truer than I ought to be. If I was less true it would
be better for us both. She'd get over it--"

Again Thor was aware of an up-leaping hope. "And you, too?"

"Oh, I suppose so--in time."

"Yes, but you'd suffer."

Claude gave another lurch forward in the bed. "I couldn't suffer worse
than I'm suffering now, knowing I'm an infernal cad--and not seeing how
to be anything else."

"But you wouldn't be an infernal cad if you married her."

The young man flung himself about the bed impatiently. "Oh, what's the
use of talking?"

"If she had money you could marry her all right."

"Ah, go to the devil, Thor!" The tone was one of utter exasperation.

Thor persisted. "If she had, let us say, four or five thousand dollars a
year of her own--"

Claude stretched his person half-way out of bed. "I said--go to the
devil!"

"Well, she has."

"Has what?"

"Four or five thousand dollars a year of her own. That is, she _will_
have it, if you and she get married."

"Say, Thor, have you got the jimjams?"

"I'm speaking quite seriously, Claude. I've always intended to do
something to help you out when I got hold of Grandpa Thorley's money;
and, if you like, I'll do it that way."

"Do it what way?"

"The way I say. If you and Rosie get married, she shall have five
thousand a year of her own."

"From you?"

Thor nodded.

The younger brother looked at the elder curiously. It was a long minute
before he spoke. "If it's to help me out, why don't _I_ have it? I'm
your brother. I should think I'd be the one."

"Because I'd rather do it that way. It would be a means of evening
things up. It would make her more like your equal. You know as well as I
do that father and mother will kick like blazes; but if Rosie has
money--"

"If Rosie has money they'll know she gets it from somewhere. They won't
think it comes down to her out of heaven."

"They can think what they like. They needn't know that I have anythin