re I am, king of all I survey,
with a predilection for poker, a scorched liver, and a piano-player.
But you! Ruth is your lawful wife. Not to go to her is wickeder than
if I had run away with my friend's wife. You're a queer lad. With
your pencil you see into the hearts of all; and without your pencil
you are dumb and blind. Ruth is not another man's wife; she is all
your own, for better or for worse. Have you thought of the monstrous
lie you are adding to your theft?"

"Lie?" said Spurlock, astounded.

"Aye--to pretend to her that you don't care. That's a most damnable
lie; and when she finds out, 'tis then she will not forgive. She'll
have this hour always with her; and you failed her. Go to her."

"I can't."

"Afraid?"

"Yes."

This simple admission disarmed McClintock. "Well, well; I have
given out of my wisdom. I'd like to shake you until your bones
rattled; but the bones of a Roundhead wouldn't rattle to any
purpose. Lad, I admire you even in your folly. Mountains out of
molehills and armies out of windmills; and you'll tire yourself in
one direction and shatter yourself in the other. There is strength
in you--misguided. You will torture yourself and torture her all
through life; but in the end she will pour the wine of her faith
into a sound chalice. I would that you were my own."

"I, a thief?"

"Aye; thief, Roundhead and all. If a certain kink in your sense of
honour will not permit you to go to her as a lover, go to her as a
comrade. Talk to her of the new story; divert her; for this day her
heart has been twisted sorely."

McClintock without further speech strode toward his bungalow; and
half an hour later Spurlock, passing, heard the piano-tuning key at
work.

Spurlock plodded through the heavy sand, leaden in the heart and
mind as well as in the feet. But recently he had asked God to pile
it all on him; and God had added this, with a fresh portion for
Ruth. One thing--he could be thankful for that--the peak of his
misfortunes had been reached; the world might come to an end now
and not matter in the least.

Love ... to take her in his arms and to comfort her: and then to
add to her cup of bitterness the knowledge that her husband was a
thief! For himself he did not care; God could continue to grind and
pulverize him; but to add another grain to the evil he had already
wrought upon Ruth was unthinkable. The future? He dared not
speculate upon that.

He paused at the bamboo curtain of her r