lt for him ever to tell her the real reasons for his
hesitation. What chance would the exercise of inherited tradition have
in the judgment of this girl who dealt instinctively and intimately with
the qualities of the mind and heart, and only with them?

"I--I was not good enough for you," he muttered.

She put her fingers over his lips. And when he kissed them--took them
away and gave him her lips.

"I'll hear no more of _that_, Peter Nichols," she whispered. "You're
good enough for me----"

Altogether, it may be said that the evening was a success at every angle
from which Peter chose to view it. And he made his way back to the Cabin
through the deep forest along the path that Beth had worn, the path to
his heart past all the fictitious barriers that custom had built about
him. The meddlesome world was not. Here was the _novaya jezn_ that his
people had craved and shouted for. He had found it. New
life--happiness--with a mate ... his woman--soon to be his wife--whether
Beth Nichols or the Grand Duchess Elizabeth...? There was no title of
nobility that could make Beth's heart more noble, no pride of lineage
that could give her a higher place than that which she already held in
his heart.

His blood surging, he ran along the log at the crossing and up the path
to the Cabin, where a surprise awaited him. For he found the lamp
lighted, and, seated complacently in Peter's easy chair, stockinged feet
toward the blaze of a fresh log, a bottle at his elbow, was Hawk
Kennedy.

CHAPTER XVII

PETER BECOMES A CONSPIRATOR

Peter entered and stood by the door, startled from his rhapsody by the
appearance of the intruder, who had made himself quite at home,
regardless of the fact that the final words of their last meeting had
given no promise of a friendship which would make his air of easy
familiarity acceptable to Peter, whose first impulse moved him to anger,
fortunately controlled as he quickly remembered how much hung upon the
assumption of an amicable relationship with McGuire's arch enemy. Peter
hadn't replied to Hawk's letter which had indicated that some weeks
might elapse before Black Rock received another of his visitations. The
speculations in Peter's mind as to the change in his visitor's plans and
the possible causes for them may have been marked in his face, for Hawk
grinned at him amiably and rose and offered his hand with an air of
assurance.

"Wondering why I dropped in on you so unexpected-like