he women
here, I would marry as I was told?"

Roddy, not at all certain into what difficulties her questions were
leading him, answered with caution.

"No," he replied doubtfully, "I didn't exactly think that, either."

"Then," declared the girl, "you must have thought, no matter how much
I loved the man to whom I was engaged, that you could make me turn
from him."

Roddy held out his hands appealingly.

"Don't put it that way!" he begged. "I've never thought I was better
than any other man. I certainly never thought I was good enough for
you. All I'm sure of is that no man on earth can care for you more.
It's the best thing, the only big thing, that ever came into my life.
And now it's the only thing left. Yesterday I thought I was rich, and
I was glad because I had so much to offer you. But now that I've no
money at all, now that I'm the Disinherited One, it doesn't seem to
make any difference. At least, it would not to me. Because if I could
make you care as I care for you, it wouldn't make any difference to
you, either. No one on earth could love you more," pleaded Roddy. "I
know it. I feel it. There is nothing else so true! Other men may bring
other gifts, but 'Mine is the heart at your feet! He that hath more,'"
he challenged, "'let him give!' All I know," he whispered fiercely,
"is, that I _love_ you, I _love_ you, I _love_ you!"

He was so moved, he felt what he said so truly, it was for him such
happiness to speak, that his voice shook and, unknown to him, the
tears stood in his eyes. In answer, he saw the eyes of the girl
soften, her lips drew into a distracting and lovely line. Swiftly,
with an ineffable and gracious gesture, she stooped, and catching up
one of his hands held it for an instant against her cheek, and then,
springing to her feet, ran from him up the garden path to the house.

Astounded, jubilant, in utter disbelief of his own senses, Roddy sat
motionless. In dumb gratitude he gazed about him at the beautiful
sunlit garden, drinking in deep draughts of happiness.

So sure was he that in his present state of mind he could not again,
before the others, face Inez, that, like one in a dream, he stumbled
through the garden to the gate that opened on the street and so
returned home.

* * * * *

That night McKildrick gave him permission to enter the tunnel. The
gases had evaporated, and into the entrance the salt air of the sea
and the tropical sun had fought