!

"When Con came to himself again, he told me, Betty--told me so simply,
so tragically, that I saw what a deep cut the experience had made in his
life--how it had humbled him. Never once did he blame any one else. I
loved him for the way he looked upon it; so many men could not have done
so. That made the difference with me. It was what the thing had done to
Con that made it possible for me to love him the more!

"He wanted the best things in life but didn't think he was worthy! And
I? Well, I thought I saw enough for us both, and so I married him! Then
something happened--it doesn't matter what it was--it was a foolish,
ugly thing, but it had to be something. And Con thought I had never
forgiven the--the first love--that I had sacrificed myself for him--in
marriage! And no woman could bear that."

"My poor, dear Lyn."

"Can't you see, Betty, it all comes from the idiotic idea that men--some
men--have about women. They put us on a toppling pedestal; when we fall
they are surprised, and when we don't they--are afraid of us! And all
the time--you know this, Betty--we ought not to be on pedestals at all;
we don't--we _don't_ belong on them! We want to be close and go along
together."

"Yes, Lyn; we do! we do!"

"Well--after Con misunderstood, I just let him go along thinking I
was--well, the kind of woman who could sacrifice herself. I thought he
would want me so that he would--find out. And so we've been eating our
hearts out--for ages!"

"Why, Lyn! you cruel, foolish girl."

"Yes--and because I knew you would say that--I could come to you.
You--do not blame Con?"

"Blame _him_! Why, Lyn, a gentleman doesn't take a woman off her beastly
pedestal; she comes down herself--if she isn't a fool."

"Well, Betty, I'm down! I'm down, and I'm going to crawl to Con, if
necessary, and then--I think he'll lift me up."

"He'll never pull you down, that's one sure thing!"

"Oh! thank you, Betty. Thank you."

"But, Lyn--what has so suddenly brought you to your senses?"

"Your little baby, Betty!"

"My--baby!" The words came in a hard, gasping breath.

"I held him when he died, Betty. I had never been close to a baby
before--never! A strange thing happened to me as I looked at him. It was
like knowing what a flower would be while holding only the bud. The
baby's eyes had the same expression I have seen in Con's eyes--in
Brace's; I know now it is the whole world's look. It was full of
wonder--full of questions as to