really much bigger, now that I look at you. It's your
character that has grown.... I'm _so_ proud of you."

David was very pale. It may have been from his long journey. But he at
least did not know, because he said that he didn't when she asked him.

"And now," she said, "you must tell me all that you haven't written."

"Not quite yet," said David. "There is first a little matter of
business...."

"Oh--" she protested.

But David counted out his debt to her methodically, with the accrued
interest.

"Put it in my work-bag," she said.

"Did you ever expect to see it again?"

"Yes, David."

"Thank you," he said.

"But I," she said, "I, too, have things of yours to return."

"Of mine?" He lifted his eyebrows expectantly.

She waved a hand, white and clean as a cherry blossom, toward a
claw-footed table on which stood decanters, ice, soda, cigarettes,
cigars, and matches.

"Your collateral," she said.

"Oh," said David. "But I have decided not to be a backslider."

"I know," she said. "But in business--as a matter of form."

"Oh," said David, "if it's a matter of form, it must be complied with."

He stepped to the table, smiling charmingly, and poured from the nearest
decanter into a glass, added ice and soda, and lifting the mixture
touched it to his lips, and murmured, "To you."

Then he put a cigarette in his mouth, and, after drawing the one breath
that served to light it, flicked it, with perfect accuracy, half across
the room and into the fireplace.

Still smiling, he walked slowly toward Miss Tennant, who was really
excited to know what he would do next.

"Betcher two cents it snows to-morrow," said he.

"Done with you, David," she took him up merrily. And after that a
painful silence came over them. David set his jaws.

"I gave you one more promise," he said. "Is that, too, returned?"

"Of course," she said, "all the promises you gave are herewith
returned."

"Then I may make love?" he asked very gently.

She did not answer for some moments, and then, steeling herself, for she
thought that she must hurt him:

"Yes, David," she said slowly, "you may--as a matter of form."

"Only in that way?"

"In that way only, David--to me."

"I thought--I thought," said the young man in confusion.

"I made you think so," she said generously. "Let all of the punishment,
that can, be heaped on me ... David...." There was a deep appeal in her
voice as for mercy and forgiveness.

"Then," said he