y brains as not. What's
the use of straining every nerve and sweating blood to make a success
in life if there's no one to share success with when it comes?"

She understood. A thrill ran through her entire being. Her heart
throbbed violently and her lips trembled as she said gently:

"Why don't you marry? Any girl would consider herself fortunate if she
could go through life with such a man as you."

Suddenly she winced. His big, muscular hand had caught hers and was
holding it firmly in an steel-like grip. Bending over so close that she
felt his warm breath on her cheek, he said hoarsely:

"Do you mean that? Would you give up all that you have now--to marry
me?"

Something rose up in her throat and choked her. Her heart beat
furiously as though it would burst. What she had foreseen and dreaded
was upon her.

"I?" she gasped in unaffected surprise.

"Yes, you," he said fiercely. "You must have seen what has been in my
heart for days--that I care for you. The first moment I set eyes on you
I knew that you were just the kind of girl I wanted for a wife. At
first I was afraid of you. I had heard things about you--gossip and all
that. You came here. We were thrown together. I still mistrusted you,
but I watched you, and saw you weren't as bad as I'd been led to
believe. I guess people have lied about you. What do I care what they
say? You're good enough for me. I soon found out that I loved you. I'm
a man of very few words. I'm not an adept at pretty speeches. Tell
me--will you marry me?"

She made no reply. It was now almost dark, and he could not see her
face plainly. Hoarsely he repeated:

"Did you hear me? I want you to marry me."

She shook her head.

"It's impossible," she murmured. "It's impossible."

"You don't care for me--I've made a fool of myself. Is that it?"

She laid her gloved hand gently on his hand.

"I do care for you."

"Then why is it impossible?" he demanded fiercely. He put his arm
around her and tried to draw her to him.

Quietly, but firmly, she disengaged herself, and it was with some show
of dignity that she replied:

"Because I care for you--just because of that."

"You are not free?" he demanded.

She hesitated.

"It is not that--there is another reason."

"What is it?"

At first she was tempted to deceive him and keep up for his benefit her
masterful assumption of innocence. But what was the good? He would soon
know her real record, if he did not already know it.