m?"

Her head moved. "Fine looking, wasn't he?" ruminatively. "He got there
with his hands and brains, and honestly. While I hadn't ever used
either. I hope," he broke off, "all this doesn't sound like preaching."

"No," she said.

An instant his gaze lingered on her. "You're sleepy now," he spoke
suddenly.

"No, I am not. You found it a little hard, at first?"

"A little. When a man is relaxed and the reaction is on him--" He
stopped.

"Tell me--tell me all," she breathed. "Every bit of it, Harry."

His lips twitched. To hear his almost forgotten name spoken again by
her! A moment he seemed to waver. Temptation of violet eyes; wonder of
the rapt face! Oh, that he might catch her in his arms, claim her anew;
this time for all time! But again he mastered himself and went on
succinctly, as quickly as possible. Between the lines, however, the girl
might read the record of struggles which was very real to her. He had
reverted "to the beginning" with poor tools and most scanty experience.
And there was that other fight that made it a double fight, the fiercer
conflict with self. Hunger, privation, want, which she might divine,
though he did not speak of them, became as lesser details. She listened
enrapt.

"I guess that's about all," he said at last.

She continued to look at him, his features, clear-cut in the white
light. "And you didn't ever really go back--to undo it all?"

"Once I did go back to 'Frisco"--he told her of the relapse with cold
candor--"out at heels, and ready to give up. I wanted the millions. They
were gone."

"You mean, lost?"

"Yes; he had speculated; was dead. Poor fellow!"

"You say that? And you have never tried to get any of the money back?"

"Fortunately, he died bankrupt," said Mr. Heatherbloom calmly.

"And you failed to show the world he was a--thief?" Something in the
word seared her.

"What was the use? He left a wife and children. Besides, he really
served me by what the world would call robbing me. I _had_ to continue
at the beginning. It was the foot of the ladder, all right," he added.

Her face showed no answering gaiety. "You are going to amount to a great
deal some day," she said. "I think very few of us in this world find
ourselves," she added slowly.

"Perhaps some don't have to hunt so hard as others," observed Mr.
Heatherbloom.

"Don't they?" Her lips wore an odd little smile.

He threw back his shoulders. "Good night, now. You are very tired, I
know."