w much about
each other's tastes, but we do know about each other's souls, which is
more than can be said of most men and women acquainted for half a
lifetime. As for our pasts, you haven't had one, and I--well, if I swear
to you that I've never murdered anybody, or been in prison, or committed
an unforgivable crime, will you take my word?"

"If you told me you _were_ a murderer, or had committed some unforgivable
crime, I--I don't feel as if I could believe it," Annesley assured him.
"It--would hurt me to think evil of you. I'm sure it isn't you who are
evil, but these men."

"You're an angel to feel like that and speak like that!" exclaimed Smith.
"I don't deserve your goodness, but I appreciate it. I'd like to take
your hand and kiss it when I thank you, but I won't, because you're alone
with me, under my protection. To save me from trouble you've risked
danger and put yourself in my power. I may be bad in some ways--most men
are, or would be in women's eyes if women saw them as they are; but I'm
not a brute. The worst I've ever done is to try to pay back a great
injury, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Do you blame me for
that?"

"I have no right--I don't know what the injury was," said the girl; and,
hesitating a little, "still--I don't think _I_ could find happiness in
revenge."

"I could, or anyhow, satisfaction: I confess that. About 'happiness,' I
don't know much. But you could teach me."

"I?"

"Yes. Do you believe there can be such a thing as love at first sight?"

"I can't tell. Books say so. Perhaps----"

"There's no 'perhaps.' I've found that out to-night. I believe love that
comes at sight must be the only real love--a sort of electric call from
soul to soul. The thing that's happened is just this: I've met the one
woman--my help-mate. If I come out of this trouble, and can ask a girl
like you to give herself to me, will you do it?"

"Oh, you say this because you think you ought to be grateful!" cried
Annesley. "But I don't want gratitude. This is the first time I've ever
_lived_. I owe that to you. And it's more than you can owe to me."

The man laughed, a happy laugh, as though danger were miles away instead
of on his heels. "You know almost as much about men as a child knows,
Miss Grayle," he said, "if you think I'm one of the sort--if there _is_
such a sort--who would tie himself to a woman for gratitude. I've just
one motive in wanting you to marry me. I love you and need you. I
c