manner he knows
so well how to use.

"You may have just three minutes more, Harry," Lillian said at
last. "Stay here while I go down to telephone. Then you will have to
vamoose. Mr. Gordon is coming over, and I can't have her too tired."

Her husband gave a low whistle, and I saw a quick look of
understanding pass between him and Lillian. I did not have time to
wonder about it, however, for Lillian went out of the room, and the
moment she closed the door he said tensely:

"Tell me you forgive me. If I had not teased you that night you would
not have moved toward the fire, and your dress would not have caught.
Why! you might have been killed or horribly disfigured. I've been
suffering the tortures of Hades ever since. But you will forgive me,
won't you? I'll do any penance you name."

Through all the extravagance of his speech there ran a deeper note
than I had believed Harry Underwood to be capable of sounding. As his
eyes met mine and I saw that there was something as near suffering in
them as the man's self-centred careless nature was capable of feeling
I saw my opportunity.

"Yes, I'll forgive you--everything--if you'll promise me one thing,
which will make me very happy."

He bit his lip savagely--I think he guessed my meaning--but he did not
hesitate.

"Name it," he said shortly.

"Don't hurt Lillian any more about the change in her appearance or
object to her having her child with her," I pleaded.

He thought a long minute, then with a quick gesture he caught my
uninjured hand in his, carried it to his lips, and kissed it, then
laid it gently back upon the bed again.

"Done," he said gruffly. "It won't bother me much for awhile anyway.
Your friend Gordon, wants me to go with him on a long trip to South
America. I'm the original white-haired boy with him just now for some
reason or other, and it's just the chance I have wanted to look up the
theatrical situation down there. Perhaps I can persuade the old boy
to loosen up on some of his bank roll and play angel. But anyway I'm
going to be gone quite a stretch, and when I come back I'll try to be
a reformed character. But remember, wherever I am 'me art is true to
Poll.'"

He bowed mockingly with his old manner, and walked toward the door,
meeting Lillian as she came in.

"So long, Lil," he said carelessly. "I'm going for a long walk. See
you later."

She looked at him searchingly. "All right," she answered laconically,
and then came over to me.