could wipe away with it, how
much suffering you could soften, how many young lives you could save
from misery and shame, how many of life's sunsets you could have turned
from darkness into the glory of quiet joy; and yet, somehow, I can find
nothing in my heart to say except that I've been living in a fairyland
of beauty and enchantment. What curious contradictions these hearts of
ours lead us into sometimes--don't they?"

Nan looked up quickly and repeated his question in cynical tones.

"Yes, don't they?"

"I know that I ought to condemn this appalling extravagance, and I find
myself enjoying it."

Both were silent for a long while and then they began to talk in low
tones of the life they had lived as boy and girl in the old South, and
forgot the flight of time.

CHAPTER XIX

THE LAST ILLUSION

As the moment drew nearer for the doctor to make known his presence to
Bivens his heart began to fail. With an effort he took fresh courage.

"Of course I'll succeed!" he exclaimed. "There's no such thing as
defeat for him who refuses to acknowledge it."

As he watched the magnificent ball his eyes grew dim at the thought of
the social tragedy which it symbolized, of his own poverty and of the
deeper wretchedness of scores to whom he had been trying to minister.
He was fighting to keep his courage up, but the longer he watched the
barbaric, sensual display of wealth sweeping before him, the deeper his
spirit sank.

The butler touched his arm and he turned with a sudden start, a look of
anguish on his rugged face.

"Mr. Bivens will be pleased to see you in the little library, sir, if
you will come at once!"

The man bowed with stately deference.

He followed the servant with quick firm step, a hundred happy ideas
floating through his mind.

"Of course, it's all right. My fears were absurd!" he mused. "My
instinct was right. He will be pleased to see me. He's in a good humour
with all the world to-night."

When the doctor was ushered into the library, Bivens, who was awaiting
him alone, sprang to his feet with a look of blank amazement, and then
a smile began to play about his hard mouth. He thrust his delicate
hands into his pockets and deliberately looked the doctor's big figure
over from head to foot as he approached with embarrassment.

"My servant announced that a gentleman wished to speak to me a moment.
Will you be good enough to tell me what you are doing in this house
to-night?"

The docto