raised her face and forced her to look at him.

"I--trust you! You could never be anything but good and noble. I know
that. You never have been--but, there are going to be other days and
nights--just plain days and long black nights--and--I think we have
almost forgotten--but there is always--Jude!"

Then like a bewildering flash the words lightened the dark place of
Gaston's character.

This woman whom--he saw the fearful truth--this woman whom he had helped
to form, had outgrown him and left him far behind!

Now that she understood; now that her womanhood could stand alone, she
rose pure and strong above his passion and the thing he called love.
She only thought he had forgotten, when God knew he did not even care
for the rough fellow who had all but strangled the life out of her.

"Besides"--he heard her as from a distance--"besides, you must go back!"

"Go back--good God! to what?"

"To all that you had to go back to--when you turned to help me!"

Then Gaston bent and raised the shrinking woman beside him. Face to face
they stood in the cold, still room. "Joyce," he said thickly, "what I am
going to say--you may never be able to forgive--but I must say it.

"It is quite true, I gave no thought to what I was doing when I shielded
you from Jude. St. Ange did not matter; there seemed no other way--and I
never considered others coming to complicate things.

"I was miserable and lonely; but I felt sure of myself and in helping
you I found an interest in life. Lately, almost unconsciously, I've felt
the change in you--the new meaning. I wanted to make sure and then be
guided, since others had entered this--this fool's paradise of mine. You
are very beautiful--the most beautiful woman, I think, that I have ever
seen--and I know now that you are--the best!

"Joyce--your beauty crazed me, and I had not forgotten Jude; I did not
care!"

"Stop!" The little cold hand was pressed against his lips, "you shall
not! It was I who tempted you--you would have remembered--everything. It
is you who must forgive me--I am going--now!"

The slow, pitiful words fell lingeringly.

"Going--where can you go?" Gaston stared dumbly at her.

"I think Mr. Drew will help me. I am going to tell him everything--and
he will--find a way."

"You shall not!" Gaston drew her to his breast. The primitive rose
within him.

"There is another way. The only way. Drew shall not meddle in my
affairs--nor yours. You will stay right here in you