nd the sight of
her features yielded me fresh confidence.

"You have no cause to feel afraid of me," I went on soberly, in the
silence. "Can't you tell that by my face?" and I removed my cap,
standing before her uncovered. She lifted her lashes, startled and
curious, gazing at me for the first time. I met her glance fairly, and
the slight resentment in her eyes faded, her clasped hands moving
uneasily.

"I--I am not afraid of--of you," she returned at last doubtfully. "It
is not that, but--but really I cannot permit you to accompany me
farther."

"Only to the place where you said you lived," I urged eagerly. "I
promise not even to take note of the number, and will never bother you
any more."

Her fine eyes hardened; then sank slowly before mine.

"That--that was a lie also," she acknowledged, half defiantly. "I--I
do not live about here."

I stared at her in sudden doubt, yet remained loyal to my first
impression.

"All the greater reason then for not leaving you here alone."

She laughed, a faint tinge of bitterness in the sound.

"Surely you cannot imagine I would feel any safer in company with a
burglar?" she asked sharply. My face flushed.

"Why accuse me of that?" I asked quickly. "Merely because I was in
that yard?"

She drew back a step, one hand grasping her skirt.

"Not altogether. You were hiding there, and--and you were afraid of
the policeman."

I could not explain; it would require too long, and she would in all
probability refuse to believe the story. Besides, what difference
could it make? She had as much to explain as I; no more reason to
suspect me than I had her. Let us meet then on common ground.

"If I grant your hasty guess to be partially correct," I returned
finally, my voice deepening with earnestness, "and confess I was
avoiding observation--what then? Can you not also believe me a man
capable of treating you honorably? Is it totally impossible for you to
conceive of circumstances so compelling, as to cause one to avoid the
police, and yet involve no real loss of manhood?"

She bowed her head slightly, lowering her eyes before mine. My
earnestness, my apparent education, were clearly a surprise.

"Yes," she confessed reluctantly enough. "I--I believe I can. There
was a time when I could not, but I can now."

"Then yield me the benefit of such charity of judgment," I went on.
"At least do not altogether condemn me on mere circumstantial evidence,
and befor