ot plead with you for
my own chance of happiness. Yet, you owe me something, Shiela."

"What?"

"The right to face the world under true colours. You owe me that."

She whitened to the lips. "I know it."

"Suppose I ask for that right?"

"I have always told you that, if you demanded it, I would take your name
openly."

"Yes; but now you admit that you love Hamil."

"Love! Love!" she repeated, exasperated. "What has that got to do with
it? I know what the law of obligation is. You meant to be generous to me
and you ruined your own life. If your future career requires me to
publicly assume your name and a place in your household, I've told you
that I'll pay that debt."

"Very well. When will you pay it?"

She blanched pitifully.

"When you insist, Louis."

"Do you mean you would go out there to the terrace, _now_!--and tell
your mother what you've done?"

"Yes, if I must," she answered faintly.

"In other words, because you think you're in my debt, you stand ready to
acknowledge, on demand, what I gave you--my name?"

Her lips moved in affirmation, but deep in her sickened eyes he saw
terror unspeakable.

"Well," he said, looking away from her, "don't worry, Shiela. I'm not
asking that of you; in fact I don't want it. That's not very
complimentary, but it ought to relieve you.... I'm horribly sorry about
Hamil; I like him; I'd like to do something for him. But if I attempted
anything it would turn out all wrong.... As for you--well, you are
plucky. Poor little girl! I wish I could help you out--short of a
journey to eternity. And perhaps I'll take that before very long," he
added gaily; "I smoke too many cigarettes. Cheer up, Shiela, and send me
a few thousand for Easter."

He rose, gracefully as always, picked up the book from where it lay
tumbled in the netting of the hammock, glanced casually through a page
or two.

Still scanning the print, he said:

"I wanted to give you a chance; I'm going North in a day or two. It
isn't likely we'll meet again very soon.... So I thought I'd speak....
And, if at any time you change your ideas--I won't oppose it."

"Thank you, Louis."

He was running over the pages rapidly now, the same unchanging smile
edging his lips.

"The unexpected sometimes happens, Shiela--particularly when it's
expected. There are ways and ways--particularly when one is tired--too
tired to lie awake and listen any longer, or resist.... My father used
to say that anybody who could