_les beaux yeux_ of Mary O'Malley. I don't
grudge you the Becketts' blessing, but I don't know why it shouldn't be
bestowed on us both, with Dierdre and Brian in the background throwing
flowers. You didn't love Jim Beckett, for the very good reason that you
never met him: so, if you owe no more debts than those you owe his
memory, you're luckier than----"

It was not I who cut his words short, though I was on the point of
breaking in. Perhaps I should have flung at him the truth about Jim
Beckett if something had not happened to snatch my thoughts from
O'Farrell and his impudence. We had just passed the quarter of the town
saved by Soeur Julie, when out from the gaping doorway of a ruined
house stepped Paul Herter.

He came straight to me, ignoring my companion.

"I was waiting for you," he said. "Will you walk on a little way with
me? There are things I should like to speak about."

All the hurt anger I had felt was gone like the shadow of a flitting
cloud. "Oh, yes!" I exclaimed. "I shall be very, very glad."

Whether O'Farrell had the grace to drop behind, or whether I pushed
ahead I don't know, but next moment Doctor Herter and I were pacing
along, side by side, keeping well ahead of the others, in spite of his
limp.

"I thought I never wanted to see you again, Mary O'Malley," he said;
"but that glimpse I had, in the hospice, showed me my mistake. I
couldn't stand it to be so near and let you go out of my life without a
word--not after seeing your face."

"It makes me happy to hear that," I answered. "I was disappointed when
you avoided me the other night, and--hurt to-day when you slammed the
door."

"How did you know I avoided you? The girl promised to hold her tongue."

"She kept her promise. She was pleased to keep it, because she dislikes
me. But I heard your name next day and understood. I--I heard other
things, too. If you wouldn't be angry, I should like to tell you how
I----"

"Don't tell me."

"I won't then. But I feel very strongly. And you will let me tell you
how grieved I should have been, if--if that slammed door had been the
end between us."

"The end between us was long ago."

"Not in my thoughts, for I never meant to hurt you. I never stopped
being your friend, in spite of all the unkind, unjust things you said to
me. I'm proud now that I had your friendship once, even if I haven't it
now."

"You had everything there was in me--_except_ friendship. Now, of that
everything, only