him to go
to his death. When he was dead I was glad. He had tortured the only being
I loved on earth. I believed he was my father for quite a long time
after--till the squire came home, and I told him the whole story.
Then--in an impulsive moment--he told me the truth. He cared about my
mother's death--cared badly. They would have been married by that time if
her husband hadn't turned up again. It was two lives spoilt."

"And what about yours?" she said.

"Mine!" He smiled rather bitterly. "Well, I've never expected much of
life. I've stuck to my independence and been satisfied with that. He'd
have bossed my destiny if I'd have let him. But I wouldn't. I was
cussed on that point, though if it hadn't been for Robin, I shouldn't
have bothered. I stayed on here for the boy's sake. He wouldn't have
been happy anywhere else. Well," he uttered a weary sigh, "that
chapter's closed."

She pressed his arm. "Dick, we might never have met but for that."

"Oh, we might have met," he said. "But--you'd probably have detested
me--under any other circumstances."

She smiled at him with a touch of wistfulness. "And you me, Dick. Neither
of us would have looked below the surface if we'd met in the general
hurly-burly. We shouldn't have had time. So we have a good deal to be
thankful for, haven't we?"

He drew her to him again. The desperate misery had passed from his face,
but he looked worn out. "What on earth should I do without you?" he said.

"I don't know, dear," she answered tenderly. "I hope you are not going to
try any longer, are you?"

His lips were near her own. "Juliet, will you stay--within reach--till
after the funeral?"

"Yes," she breathed.

"And then--then--will you--marry me?" His whisper was even lower than
hers. The man's whole being pulsed in the words.

Her arms went round his neck. "I will, dearest."

His breath came quickly. "And if--if--later--you come upon some things
that hurt you--things you don't understand--will you remember how I've
been handicapped--and--forgive me?"

Her eyes looked straight up to his. They held a shadowy smile. "Dick,--I
was just going--to say that--to you!"

He pressed her to his heart. "Ah, my Juliet!" he said. "Could anything
matter to us--anything on earth--except our love?"

In the deep silence her lips answered his. There was no further need
for words.

PART IV

CHAPTER I

THE FREE GIFT

"I'm not quite sure that I call this fair play," said