fair with both of us,--and
I am ashamed of the way I have treated him. We deserved his rebuke that
morning, and he did not hesitate to turn us back,--although he realized
what it would mean. He loves me, Abel Landover,--he loves me a thousand
times more than you do, in spite of all your protestations. He--"

"Why, Ruth,--I--I--"

"Yes,--I know,--I know you are shocked. And I don't care,--do you
understand? I don't care that! You want your answer, Mr. Landover. Well,
you shall have it now. I cannot marry you. This is final."

The blood left his face. "You don't know what you are saying, Ruth," he
exclaimed. "You are angry. When you have had time to--"

"I've had all the time I need," she interrupted shortly. "I don't want
to be disagreeable,--but it's no use, Mr. Landover. I do not love you.
I am sorry if I have misled you into hoping. There is nothing more to be
said."

"You have misled me," he cried out bitterly.

"I am to blame, I suppose, for not giving you your answer before this. I
have temporized. It is a woman's trick,--and a horrid one, I'll admit. I
have never even thought of marrying you."

"Are you in love with Percival?" he demanded.

"Yes,--I think I am," she replied, looking him straight in the eye. She
spoke with a sort of gasp, as if releasing a confession that surprised
even herself.

"My God, Ruth,--I can't believe it," he groaned.

"I have denied it to myself--oh, a thousand times,--I've fought against
it. I've tried to hate him. I've done everything in my power to make him
believe that I despise him. But it's no use,--it's no use. I--I can't
think of anything else. I can't think of any one else. Oh, I know I am
quite mad to say this, but I sometimes find myself praying that we may
never be rescued. It might mean--well, you can see what it might mean.
Thank God, you have driven me to this confession. It is the first time I
have been really honest with myself. I have lied to myself over and over
again about my feeling toward him. I have lain awake for hours at night
lying to myself--telling myself that I hate him and always will hate
him. Now, it's out,--the truth is out. I have never hated him,--I have
cared for him from the very beginning."

She spoke rapidly, the words rushing forth like a flood suddenly
released after breaking through the dam, sweeping everything before
it,--resistless, devastating, cruelly rapturous. She thought nothing of
the hurt she was inflicting upon the man bes