early that night, and once more tramped the woods.
Steele lingered, and later, while the whippoorwills were calling and a
small owl plaintively lamenting, he and Duska sat alone on the
white-columned verandah.

"Duska," he said suddenly, "is there no chance for me--no little
outside chance?"

She looked up, and shook her head slowly.

"I wish I could say something else, George," she answered earnestly,
"because I love you as a very dearest brother and friend, but that is
all it can ever be."

"Is there no way I can remake or remold myself?" he urged. "I have
held the Platonic attitude all summer, but to-night makes all the old
uncontrollable thoughts rise up and clamor for expression. Is there no
way?"

"George"--her voice was very soft--"it hurts me to hurt you--but I'd
have to lie to you if I said there was a way. There can't be--ever."

"Is there any--any new reason?" he asked.

For a moment, she hesitated in silence, and the man bent forward.

"I shouldn't have asked that, Duska--I don't ask it," he hastened to
amend. "Whether there is a new reason or just all the old ones, is
there any way I can help--any way, leaving myself out of it, of
course?"

Again, she shook her head.

"I guess there's no way anyone can help," she said.

Back at the cabin, Steele found his guest moodily pacing the verandah.
The glow of his pipe bowl was a point of red against the black. The
Kentuckian dropped into a chair, and for a time neither spoke.

At last, Steele said slowly:

"Bob, I have just asked Duska if I had a chance."

The other man wheeled in astonishment. Steele had indeed maintained
his Platonic pose so well that the other had not suspected the fire
under what he believed to be an extinct crater. His own feeling had
been the one thing he had not confided. They had never spoken to each
other of Duska in terms of love.

"You!" he said, dully. "I didn't know--"

Steele rose. With his hand on the door-knob, he paused.

"Bob," he said, "the answer was the old one. It's also been, 'No.'
I've had my chance. Of course, I really knew it all the while, and yet
I had to ask once more. I sha'n't ask again. It hurts her--and I want
to see her happy." He turned and went in, closing the door behind him.

But Duska was far from happy, however much Steele and others might
wish to see her so. She spent much time in solitary rides and walks.
She knew now that she loved Saxon, and she knew that he had shown in
every wor