ts, with their congratulations on your
recovery, and their hope that they will see you again soon. If their
ends are clipped every day and they are placed in ammonia water, they
will last indefinitely." Sidney spent her hour with Max that evening as
usual. His big chair had been drawn close to a window, and she found him
there, looking out. She kissed him. But this time, instead of letting
her draw away, he put out his arms and caught her to him.

"Are you glad?"

"Very glad, indeed," she said soberly.

"Then smile at me. You don't smile any more. You ought to smile; your
mouth--"

"I am almost always tired; that's all, Max."

She eyed him bravely.

"Aren't you going to let me make love to you at all? You get away beyond
my reach."

"I was looking for the paper to read to you."

A sudden suspicion flamed in his eyes.

"Sidney."

"Yes, dear."

"You don't like me to touch you any more. Come here where I can see
you."

The fear of agitating him brought her quickly. For a moment he was
appeased.

"That's more like it. How lovely you are, Sidney!" He lifted first one
hand and then the other to his lips. "Are you ever going to forgive me?"

"If you mean about Carlotta, I forgave that long ago."

He was almost boyishly relieved. What a wonder she was! So lovely, and
so sane. Many a woman would have held that over him for years--not that
he had done anything really wrong on that nightmare excursion. But so
many women are exigent about promises.

"When are you going to marry me?"

"We needn't discuss that to-night, Max."

"I want you so very much. I don't want to wait, dear. Let me tell Ed
that you will marry me soon. Then, when I go away, I'll take you with
me."

"Can't we talk things over when you are stronger?"

Her tone caught his attention, and turned him a little white. He faced
her to the window, so that the light fell full on her.

"What things? What do you mean?"

He had forced her hand. She had meant to wait; but, with his keen eyes
on her, she could not dissemble.

"I am going to make you very unhappy for a little while."

"Well?"

"I've had a lot of time to think. If you had really wanted me, Max--"

"My God, of course I want you!"

"It isn't that I am angry. I am not even jealous. I was at first. It
isn't that. It's hard to make you understand. I think you care for me--"

"I love you! I swear I never loved any other woman as I love you."

Suddenly he remembered that he had als