whistling, and Spike appeared.

"Hello, Hermy, ain't tea ready yet?" he enquired, tossing aside his
straw hat and opening a newspaper he carried, "say, the Giants are sure
playin' great ball this season--what, are ye asleep?"

"No, dear!"

"Why, Hermy," he exclaimed, dropping the paper and clasping an arm about
her, "Oh, Hermy--what is it?"

"Oh, boy--dear, dear boy--you didn't, did you?" she cried feverishly.
"You are a little wild--sometimes, dear, just a little--but you are
good--and honourable, aren't you?"

"Why, yes, Hermy I--I try t' be," he answered uneasily; "but I don't
know what you mean."

"You're not a thief, are you? You're not a burglar? You never broke into
any one's house. I know you didn't, but--tell me you didn't--tell me you
didn't!"

"No--no, o' course not," stammered Spike and, averting his head, tried
to draw away, but she clung to him all the closer.

"Boy--boy dear," she whispered breathlessly, "oh, boy, look at me!"

But seeing he kept his face still turned from her, she set a hand to his
cheek and very gently forced him to meet her look. For a long moment she
gazed thus--saw how his eyes quailed, saw how his cheek blanched, and as
he cowered away, she rose slowly to her feet, and into her look came a
growing horror; beholding which Spike covered his face and shrank away
from her.

"Oh, boy--" her voice had sunk to a whisper now, "oh, boy--say you
didn't!"

"Hermy--I--can't--"

"Can't?"

"It's--it's all--true. Yes, I did! Oh, Hermy, forgive me."

"Tell me!"

"Oh, forgive me, Hermy, forgive me!" he cried, reaching out and trying
to catch her hand. "Yes, I'll tell ye. I--I got in--through th' winder,
an' Geoff caught me. But he let me go again--he said he'd never tell
nobody if--ah, don't look at me like that!"

"If--what?"

"If I'd bring him back here with me--Hermy, don't! Your eyes hurt
me--don't look at me that way."

"So it--is--all--true!"

"Oh, forgive me, forgive me!" he pleaded, throwing himself on his knees
before her and writhing in the anguish of remorse. "They doped me,
Hermy, I--didn't know what I was doin'--they didn't give me no time t'
think. Oh, forgive me, Hermy; Geoff forgave me, an' you must--oh, God,
you must, Hermy!" Again he sought to reach her hand, but now it was she
who shrank away.

"I loved you so--I--loved--you so!" she said dully.

"Hermy," he cried, catching hold of her dress, "forgive me--just this
once, for God's sake! I ain't got