neral, which he could not remain to attend. There was
nothing to do but to mount and ride away, but--Beth was down at Mrs.
Dick's.

Resistance was useless. Bidding Dave wait with the horses at the yard.
Van made his way around through the shadows of the houses, and coming
out upon a rocky hill, a little removed from the boarding place, was
startled to see Beth abruptly rise before him.

The house had oppressed her--and the moon had called. Bostwick, in
alarm concerning possible disaster to the plans he had made with
McCoppet, now that Culver was dead, had gone to seek the gambler out
and ascertain the status of affairs.

CHAPTER XXII

TWO MEETINGS AFTER DARK

For a moment neither Beth nor Van could speak. The girl, like a
startled moon-sprite, wide-eyed and grave, had taken on a mood of
beauty such as the man had never seen. She seemed to him strangely
fragile, a trifle pale, but wholly exquisite, enchanting.

No signs were on her face, but she had wept--hot, angry tears, within
the hour. And here was the cause of them all! She had wished he would
come--and feared he would come, as conflicting emotions possessed her.
Now that he stood here, with moonlight on half of his face, her
thoughts were all unmarshaled.

Van presently spoke.

"I'm a kid, after all. I couldn't go away without--this."

"I wish you had! I wish you had!" she answered, at his smile. "I wish
I had never seen you in the world!"

His heart was sore for jesting, but he would not change his way.

"If not in the world, where _would_ you have wished to see me, then?"

"I never wished to see you at all!" she replied. "Your joke has gone
too far. You have utterly mistaken my sense of gratitude."

"Guess not," he said. "I haven't looked for gratitude--nor wanted it,
either."

"You had no right!" she continued. "You have said things--done
things--you have taken shameful advantage--you have treated me like--I
suppose like--that other--that other---- You dared!"

Van's face took on an expression of hardness, to mask the hurt of his
heart.

"Who says so?" he demanded quietly. "You know better."

"It's true!" she answered hotly. "You had no right! It was mere brute
strength! You cannot deny what you have been--to that miserable
woman!" Tears of anger sped from her eyes, and she dashed them hotly
away.

Van stepped a little closer.

"Beth," he said, suddenly taking her hand, "none of this is true, and
you know it.