that. Well, we won't talk about unhappiness, will we? I don't
believe that talking about it does much good. If you'll marry me, we'll
see if we can't live it down somehow. As for ideals, I'll trust you in
doing what you like with your money; it will be yours, you know. I shall
make half my property over to you for good; then if I disapprove of what
you do with it, you'll at all events be free to go on pleasing yourself
and displeasing me. I won't be able to prevent you by force from doing
what I think wrong any more than you will me. You'll take your own
responsibility, and I'll take mine. And I don't believe we shall quarrel
much about it,' said Franklin, smiling at her.

Tears rose to Helen's eyes. Franklin Kane, since she had become his
friend, often touched her; something in him now smote upon her heart; it
was so gentle, so beautiful, and so sad.

'My dear friend,' she said, 'you will be marrying a hard, a selfish, and
a broken-hearted woman who will bring you nothing.'

'All right,' said Franklin again.

'I won't do you any good.'

'You won't do me any harm.'

'You want me to marry you, even if I'm not to do you any good?'

He nodded, looking brightly and intently at her.

She rose now and stood beside him. With all the strange new sense of
unity between them there was a stronger sense of formality, and that
seemed best expressed by their clasp of hands over what, apparently, was
an agreement. 'You understand, you are sure you understand,' said Helen.

'What I want to understand is that you are going to marry me,' said
Franklin.

'I will marry you,' Helen said.

And now, rather breathlessly, as if after a race hardly won, Franklin
answered: 'Well, I guess you can leave the rest to me.'

CHAPTER XXIV.

Gerald had decided to stay on for another week at Merriston and to come
up to town with Althea, and she fancied that the reason for his decision
was that he found Sally Arlington such very good company. Sally played
the violin exceedingly well and looked like an exceedingly lovely muse
while she played, and Gerald, who was very fond of music, also expressed
more than once to Althea his admiration of Miss Arlington's appearance.
There was nothing in Gerald's demeanour towards Sally to arouse a hint
of jealousy; at least there would not have been had Althea been his
wife. But she was not yet his wife, and he treated her--this was the
fact that the week was driving home--as though she were, and a