once, and you came
along just when I needed you. Yes, sir; I took advantage of you because
I saw you were a gentleman and sympathetic and full of that chivalry
stuff; and I played on your feelings and made you the little goat. It
wasn't nice of me."

"It certainly approached the unpardonable, Sally. And you not only
ruined your own life but nearly caused me to lose my best friend. I'm
still pretty sore about that. But what hurt me most was that you
sacrificed your opportunity to be somebody in the world, to be a noble,
useful woman. You linked yourself for life to a slinking, scoundrelly
thief!"

Sally laughed mockingly. Then, her hands on her hips, she regarded him
pityingly.

"You poor goose! You sure didn't get my number right! If you thought I
was going to be tied up for the rest of my days with a miserable little
wretch like Pete Barney you certainly had me wrong. I just had to turn a
few handsprings, and you needn't tell me how disgusted you are when I
say that all I wanted was to know how it feels to lie and steal."

"Yes; you stole some money from your father; that was very wrong,
Sally."

"Say, you make me tired! What I borrowed from pop I'll pay back. The
low-down thing I did was to take that string of diamonds away from
Barney. He slipped 'em to me that night as we were on the way to the
preacher's to get married. Married! Do you think I really wanted to
marry that man! Do you think I _am_ married to him now? Why, I gave him
the slip at the first station after I kissed you good-by and I haven't
seen him since. And I never intend to see him again! I ducked round till
I got to a place on the underground railroad I knew about from pop; and
they took good care of me. Then I slid to Petoskey where the Learys were
starting up their refreshment shop and was just learning how to make
soft drinks look wicked when the Governor jerked a wire to Red and that
grand old girl his wife to come here and open up this moldy old joint.
My folks know where I am now and as soon as they coax me a little I'll
go home and be a nice little girl for the rest of my life."

"But the diamonds--"

"Don't be so tragic or I'll burst out crying! I've got the sparklers
hidden safe; and I'm going to get the Governor to help make a deal to
give 'em back to the owner if he won't prosecute Barney. I wouldn't want
that man, even if he's only my husband on paper, to go over the road on
my account. I'm satisfied with my kick-up and you needn