at."

Max stared at her, but silently agreed when he saw she was in earnest. He
even reached out his hand to take hers, but she drew away.

"Wait till I tell him," she said, and turned to the helpless man in the
chair. "He asked me to marry him--some day. Would it be right for me to
say yes?"

"'Tana!" exclaimed Lyster; but she raised her hand pleadingly.

"I haven't any other person in the world I could go to and ask," she said.
"He knows me better than you do, Max, and I--Oh! I don't think I should be
always contented with your ways of living. I was born different--a heap
different. But to-day it seems as if I am not strong enough to do
without--some one--who likes me, and I do want to say 'yes' to you, yet
I'm afraid it is only because I am sick at heart and lonely."

It was a declaration likely to cool the ardor of most lovers, but Lyster
reached out his hand to her and laughed.

"Oh, you dear girl," he said, fondly. "Did your conscience make it
necessary for you to confess in this fashion? Now listen. You are weak and
nervous; you need some one to look after you. Doesn't she, Harris? Well,
take me on trial. I will devote myself to your interests for six months,
and if at the end of that time you find that it was only sickness and
loneliness that ailed you, and not liking me, then I give you my word I'll
never try to hold you to a promise. You will be well and strong by that
time, and I'll stand by the decision you make then. Will you say 'yes,'
now?"

She looked at Harris, who nodded his head. Then she turned and gave her
hand to Max.

"Yes," she said. "But if you should be sorry--"

"Not another word," he commanded; "the 'yes' is all I want to hear just
now; when I get sorry I'll let you know."

And that is the way their engagement began.

CHAPTER XXI.

LAVINA AND THE CAPTAIN.

As the day wore on, 'Tana became more nervous and restless. With the dark,
that man was to come for the gold she had promised.

Lyster brought it to her, part in money, part in free gold, and as he laid
it on the couch, she looked at him strangely.

"How much you trust me when you never even ask what I am to do with all
this!" she said. "Yet it is enough to surprise you."

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "But when you are ready you will tell me."

"No, I will not tell you," she answered, "but it is the last thing--I
think--that I will keep from you, Max. It is a debt that belongs to days
before I knew you. What did Ove