had the worst kind of luck--and most of my money was tied up in
his business, so you see..."

She broke off confused by the look in his eyes, conscious of an absurd
feeling of guilt. There was amazement in that look and a sort of
incredulous horror.

"Do you mean to say..." Ginger gulped and started again. "Do you mean
to tell me that you let me have... all that money... for the
dog-business... when you were broke? Do you mean to say..."

Sally stole a glance at his crimson face and looked away again quickly.
There was an electric silence.

"Look here," exploded Ginger with sudden violence, "you've got to marry
me. You've jolly well got to marry me! I don't mean that," he added
quickly. "I mean to say I know you're going to marry whoever you
please... but won't you marry me? Sally, for God's sake have a dash
at it! I've been keeping it in all this time because it seemed rather
rotten to bother you about it, but now....Oh, dammit, I wish I could put
it into words. I always was rotten at talking. But... well, look here,
what I mean is, I know I'm not much of a chap, but it seems to me you
must care for me a bit to do a thing like that for a fellow... and...
I've loved you like the dickens ever since I met you... I do wish you'd
have a stab at it, Sally. At least I could look after you, you know,
and all that... I mean to say, work like the deuce and try to give you a
good time... I'm not such an ass as to think a girl like you could ever
really... er... love a blighter like me, but..."

Sally laid her hand on his.

"Ginger, dear," she said, "I do love you. I ought to have known it all
along, but I seem to be understanding myself to-night for the first
time." She got up and bent over him for a swift moment, whispering in
his ear, "I shall never love anyone but you, Ginger. Will you try
to remember that." She was moving away, but he caught at her arm and
stopped her.

"Sally..."

She pulled her arm away, her face working as she fought against the
tears that would not keep back.

"I've made a fool of myself," she said. "Ginger, your cousin... Mr.
Carmyle... just now he asked me to marry him, and I said I would."

She was gone, flitting among the tables like some wild creature running
to its home: and Ginger, motionless, watched her go.

5

The telephone-bell in Sally's little sitting-room was ringing jerkily
as she let herself in at the front door. She guessed who it was at the
other end of the wire,