n so, he swayed
slightly, and seeing this, she shivered.

"Is it th' fightin' you mean, Hermy? Why, I did it all for you, Hermy,
all for you--I wanted t' be a champion 'cause all champions are rich.
I wanted t' make you a real lady--t' take you away from Mulligan's--but
now--I'm only--a 'has-been.' I've lost me chance--oh, Hermy, I'm done
for; I--oh, Geoff, I--think I'll--go to bed."

So Ravenslee set down the flask, and, clasping an arm about Spike's
swaying form, led him from the room, while Hermione stood rigid and
watched them go. But when the door had closed behind them, she bowed her
head upon her hands and sobbed miserably, until, spying the half-emptied
flask through her tears, she sprang forward, and snatching it from the
table, dashed it passionately to the floor.

"Oh, dear God of Heaven!" she whispered, sinking to her knees, "not that
way--ah, save him from that--keep him from treading that path!" With
head bowed upon her folded hands she knelt thus awhile until a sound in
the passage aroused her, and rising to her feet, she turned and
confronted Bud M'Ginnis.

He stood upon the threshold, and though his glowing, eager eyes dwelt
yearningly upon her beauty, he made no motion to enter the room. Upon
one cheek the skin was torn and grazed from nose to ear, and upon his
powerful throat were vivid marks that showed fierce and red, and these
seemed to worry him, for even while he stared upon her loveliness, his
hand stole up to his neck, and he touched these glowing blotches gently
with his fingers.

"God, Hermy," said he at last, "you get more beautiful every day!"

She was silent, but reading the fierce scorn in her eyes, he laughed
softly and leaned nearer. "Some day, Hermy, you'll be--all mine! Oh, I
can wait; there's others, an' you're worth waitin' for, I guess. But
some day you'll come t' me--you shall--you must! Meantime there's
others, but some day it'll be you an' you only--when you're my wife. Ah,
marry me, Hermy; I could give you all you want, an' there'd never be any
one else for me--then!"

Her eyes still met his unflinchingly, only she drew away from his
nearness, shivering a little; seeing which, he frowned and clenched one
hand, for the other had wandered up to his throat again.

"Won't ye speak t' me?" he demanded savagely, then shrugging his great
shoulders, he continued in gentler tones: "I ain't here t' quarrel,
Hermy; I only came t' see if th' Kid got home all right." Hermione's
fi