creed might be, he was not a bad man.

"I had the right to tell you so much," he went on; "that at least was my
privilege, and now, having told you, I must tell you something else. You
may refuse me once, you may refuse me twice; but in the end you will
have to accept me."

Again there was a gleam of anger in her eyes, and he saw the look of
scorn which rested on her face.

"I will tell you why. You cannot run the risk of sending a man to hell.
With you as my wife I can do anything. Oh yes, I know my words seem like
the words of a mountebank, but even my worst enemies have never accused
me of being a boaster, and I repeat it; no guardian angel which your
story-books tell about could do for a man what you could do for me. I
could work, I could think, I could even become great and good. But
without you--even the thought of it is like looking into hell."

[Illustration: "With you for my wife, I can do anything."]

"And I," said Olive, "could have but little faith in a man who dared not
stand alone. If a man's future, his character, his career, are dependent
on a woman, then he rests upon a weak reed. A man to be strong must rest
on God."

"That may be your theory; if it is, I know that human nature is always
laughing at you. If God is, He's giving you the opportunity of making a
man of me."

"I would try and help you," said Olive, "but what you ask is my love,
and love cannot be given for the asking. It can only be given as it
comes. In such a matter we are not free agents."

"And could you not love me? Answer me honestly, could you not love me?"

This was the first sign of Leicester's advantage. Her eyes dropped, and
the colour came to her cheeks.

Leicester's heart beat aloud for joy; he could not repress a cry of
exultation.

But Olive Castlemaine mastered herself by a strong effort of will.

"You ask me to speak to you honestly," she said. "Well, I will. I could
never love a man--that is as you would be loved--if I did not respect
him and I could not respect a man who was the slave to an evil habit."

"You mean----" he hesitated, and looked on the floor.

"Yes, I mean that."

"Look here," he said eagerly, "promise that you will be my wife, and I
will never taste a drop of alcohol of any sort again. I give you my word
for that. Neither wine, nor whisky, nor spirits of any sort shall ever
again pass my lips."

Again she looked at him eagerly, and he thought he saw her eyes soften.

"I mean it," he we