finished my cigarette, and flinging it away, strolled up to the
window to look out. I had stood there a little while, when I heard her
call softly:

"Jack!"

I turned and came to her, kneeling down by her side and taking her
hands.

She gazed rather intently into my face with unusual gravity. Then she
said:

"If you have to choose between me and the money, which will it be?"

I kissed her hand for answer.

"If the money is lost, won't it all come out? And then, won't they
call you dishonest?"

"I suppose so," said I.

"You don't mind that?"

"Yes, I do. Nobody likes being called a thief--especially when there's
a kind of truth about it. But I should mind losing you more."

"Are you really very fond of me, Jack? No, you needn't say so. I think
you are. Now I'll tell you a secret. If you hadn't come here, I should
have married General Whittingham long ago. I stayed here intending to
do it (oh, yes, I'm not a nice girl, Jack), and he asked me very soon
after you first arrived. I gave him my money, you know, then."

I was listening intently. It seemed as if some things were going to be
cleared up.

"Well," she continued, "you know what happened. You fell in love with
me--I tried to make you; and then I suppose I fell a little in love
with you. At any rate I told the President I wouldn't marry him just
then. Some time after, I wanted some money, and I asked him to give
me back mine. He utterly refused; you know his quiet way. He said he
would keep it for 'Mrs. Whittingham.' Oh, I could have killed him! But
I didn't dare to break with him openly; besides, he's very hard to
fight against. We had constant disputes; he would never give back the
money, and I declared I wouldn't marry him unless I had it first, and
not then unless I chose. He was very angry and swore I should marry
him without a penny of it; and so it went on. But he never suspected
you, Jack; not till quite the end. Then we found out about the debt,
you know; and about the same time I saw he at last suspected something
between you and me. And the very day before we came to the bank he
drove me to desperation. He stood beside me in this room, and said,
Christina, I am growing old. I shall wait no longer. I believe you're
in love with that young Martin.' Then he apologized for his plain
speaking, for he's always gentle in manner. And I defied him. And
then, Jack, what do you think he did?"

I sprang up in a fury.

"What?" I cried.

"He _laugh