Of course I naturally fell
in with a hard set, and finally enlisted. My regiment was sent to the
Philippines, where we had some fighting. I liked that, and was a good
enough soldier to be promoted to a sergeantcy. I reckon I had better
have remained in the service, for when I was sent back to Frisco,
because of wounds, and then discharged, I went to hell."

"And your father does n't know?"

"Not from me. I had money at first, and transportation to Chicago
where I enlisted. I blew in the cash, and lost the other. Then I
started in to beat my passage east, working only when I had to. I was
thrown off a train about twenty miles west of here, and came into this
burg on foot. It was tough luck for a day or two until I caught on to
a lumber yard job. I 've been working now for a couple of weeks. Nice
record, is n't it?"

Her parted lips trembled, but those questioning brown eyes never
deserted my face.

"It is not as bad as I feared, if--if you have told me all."

"I have confessed the worst anyhow. I 'm a rough, I suppose, and a
bum, but I 'm not a criminal."

"Why were you at that house? and so afraid of the police?"

"Well, that is a long story," I replied hesitatingly. "I had been
talking with some men inside, who had offered me work, and good pay.
There was a reason why I did not wish to be seen coming out at that
hour."

"Not--not anything criminal?"

"No; I 've confessed to being a good-for-nothing, but I 'm clear of
crime."

She drew a long breath of relief.

"I do not quite believe," she said firmly. "You--you do not look like
that."

I laughed in spite of my efforts.

"I am delighted to have you say so. No more do I feel like that now.
Yet so the record reads, and you must accept me just as I am, or not at
all. I have nothing else to offer."

She lowered her eyes, her fingers still nervously fumbling the menu
card.

"Perhaps I have no more."

"I have asked no explanation of you."

"True; yet you cannot be devoid of curiosity. You meet me after
midnight, wandering alone in the streets; you see me boldly,
shamelessly, interfering to prevent the arrest of a strange man; you
hear me deliberately falsify, again and again. What could you think of
such a woman? Then I accept your invitation, and accompany you here,
believing you a criminal. What possible respect could you, or any
other man, entertain for a girl guilty of such indiscretion?"

"You ask my individual judgment, or