swered such a direct question easily, and in
this case it was especially hard for the Kentuckian, who was torn
between his ungovernable desire and that decision which cold reason had
thrust upon him. He wanted to say, "Yes, I'll marry her to-morrow," but
something bade him pause before he sacrificed upon this altar of a
youthful love his life, his hopes, his ambitions. Had he not wrestled
with himself for months in thinking it all out, until his mind was
weary and listless with the effort? For the great test that tries a
man's soul and compels him to know himself had not yet come to Meade
Burrell; wherefore, he hesitated long.

"I did not say so," he declared, at last. "It's a thing I can't well
discuss, because I doubt if you could understand what I would say. This
life of yours is different from mine, and it would be useless for me to
explain the reason why I cannot marry her. Leaving out all question of
my sentiment, there are insurmountable obstacles to such a union; but
as to this talk, I think that can be stopped without annoyance to her,
and as for the rest, we must trust to time to bring about a proper
adjustment--"

A low, discordant sound of laughter arrested his words, and, turning,
he beheld Necia standing revealed in the dimness.

"What an amusing person you are!" she said. "I've had hard work holding
in all this time while you were torturing your mind and twisting the
honest English language out of shape and meaning. I knew I should have
to laugh sooner or later."

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "Is it a joke?"

"Indeed it is," she declared, laughing afresh, "and the best I've ever
enjoyed. Wasn't it funny, Poleon"--she turned gayly to the Frenchman,
but he stood like one petrified--"to see him debating coolly whether he
cared for me enough to face the world with me, and trying to explain to
you that he was too good to marry a squaw? Oh, you were very
gentlemanly about it, sir, and you wouldn't have hurt my feelings for
the world!"

"Necia!"

"That's your Dixie chivalry, I suppose. Well, I've played with you long
enough, Lieutenant Burrell, I'm tired of the game, and you interest me
no longer."

"You--you--say you've been playing with me!" stammered the man. The
bottom of things seemed suddenly to slide from under him; he was like
one sinking in some hideous quagmire. He felt as if he were choking.

"Why, of course," she cried, scornfully, "just as you took me up for
amusement. You