so straight that you don't
know what temptation means? Have you never wanted anything so much that
you--"

"That I wanted to steal? No; not even to steal your affections when I
thought they belonged to Jo. I will spare you exposure. When I return the
ring to Hebler I will tell him it was found on the floor by a servant."

"Thank you," she said meekly. "If he knew I were here, he'd know who the
'servant' was. What do you propose to do with me now? Return the goods to
Bender, or squeal on me to Hebby?"

"I don't know until I have talked it over with Mrs. Kingdon."

"That is very considerate and fair in you," she commended. "Some way I
feel confident she will think I should have another chance. You owe me
something. 'Kind Kurt,'" she continued lightly, with a return of the
flippancy that had so jarred him on their first meeting, "suppose I had
been weak enough to accept your proposal last night? I knew my lapses too
well and was too considerate of your happiness to say 'yes.' Suppose I
had. Would your sense of honor have been equal to the sacrifice of keeping
faith with me? No; I see by your face it would not have been. So you see
your love--your _man's_ love, isn't great enough for even a thief to
consider."

"Give me the ring," he said coldly.

"No; I prefer to return it myself. I'll take my chances with Hebby. Even
he isn't as merciless as you. And as I said, his claim is prior to yours.
I never expected to take refuge with Hebby! Where is he now?"

"He has gone to the garage. Wait! You shall not go."

He put out a detaining arm, under which she ducked and fled nimbly down
the stairs and out to the door. She heard him pursuing, but she jumped on
Francis' wheel which stood near and was soon coasting down the driveway to
the garage.

"Hebby! Oh--oh, Hebby!" she called to the man sauntering at some distance
ahead of her.

"The thief!" he exclaimed as she came up to him and dismounted. "So, at
last I've found you!"

"_Found_ me! Well, I like that! Here I come chasing after you and doing
the finding myself. Really lost your ring this time, Hebby? Didn't seem
like your 'code' to mention your loss to so new an acquaintance. Sort of a
breach, wasn't it?"

He flushed shamefacedly, but his discomfiture, short-lived, was succeeded
by a broad grin.

"Then it was _you_ who took it! That tall, solemn guy seemed to think he
could recover it, but I am more delighted at recovering you than a hundred
rings."

"May I ke