a
gesture of despair--"if I went through with it--if I married Mr. Carder,
I'm sure I should lose all control and kill myself. I'm sure of it."

Here Ben gave rein to the dastardly instinct which occasionally causes a
poor mortal to fling all conscience to the winds when he sees an
unexpected opportunity to attain a longed-for prize.

"For you to become his wife cannot be right," declared Ben, endeavoring
to speak with mature and legal poise; "but as you say, that heartrending
doubt of your duty may attack you at times. How would it be to put it
beyond your power to yield to his wishes by marrying some one else--me,
for instance?"

Geraldine regarded the speaker with grief and reproach. "Can you joke
about my trouble?" She turned away and he suspected hurt tears.

"Miss Melody--Geraldine." What Ben had fondly hoped was the judicial
manner disappeared in a whirlwind of words. "I'm in earnest! I've
thought of nothing but you since the day I saw you with that cut-throat.
It's my highest desire to guard you, to make you happy. Give me the
right, and every day of my life will prove it. Of course, I saw that
Carder had some hold over you. I've spent all my time ever since that
day trying to ferret out facts that could give me some hold on him. I
haven't found them. The fox has always left himself a loophole. Marry me
to-day: now: before we go home. I'm well known in the town yonder. I can
arrange it. Marry me, and whatever comes you will be safe from him.
Geraldine!"

The girl's gaze was fixed on the flushed face and glowing eyes beside
her and she leaned as far away from him as possible.

"You really mean it?" she said when he paused.

"As I never meant anything before in my life."

"Have you a mother?"

"The best on earth."

"And yet you would do this to her, just because I have nice eyes."

It was a frigid bucket of water, but Ben stood up under it.

"Yes, I could give her nothing better."

"You don't even know me," said Geraldine. "How strange men are."

"Yes, those you hate; but how about me? You said you liked me."

At this the girl did smile, and the effect was so wonderful that it
knocked what little sense Ben Barry had left into oblivion.

"Love at first sight is a fact," he declared. "No one believes it till
he's hit, but then there's no questioning. You looked that day as if you
would have liked to speak to me--yes"--boldly--"as if to escape Carder
you would have mounted that motor-cycle with me