ing there,
facing her in the dimness; and, cripple as he was, she knew him for a
strong man.

"I have come to ask," he said--"and I mean to know--why yesterday you
refused to marry me."

She made a quick movement. His words astounded her. She felt inclined to
run away. But he kept her prisoner.

"Don't be afraid of me, Molly!" he said half sadly. "You had a reason.
What was it."

She bit her lip. Her eyes were full of sudden tears.

"Tell me!" he said.

And she answered, as if he compelled her:

"It was because--because you don't love me," she said with difficulty.

She felt his hand tighten upon hers.

"Ah!" he said. "And that was--the only reason?"

Molly was trembling.

"It was the only reason that mattered," she said in a choked voice.

He leant towards her in the dusk.

"Molly," he said. "Molly, I worship you!"

She heard the deep quiver in his voice, and it thrilled her from head to
foot. She began to sob, and he drew her towards him.

"Wait!" she said, "Oh, wait! Come inside, and I'll tell you!"

He went in with her, leaning on her shoulder.

"Sit down!" whispered Molly. "I'm going to tell you something."

"Don't cry!" he said gently. "It may be something I know already."

"Oh, no, it isn't!" she said with conviction.

She stood before him in the twilight, her hands clasped tightly
together.

"Do you remember a girl called Mary Fielding?" she said, with a piteous
effort to control her voice. "She used to be the friend of--of--your
_fiancee_, Lady Maud Belville, long ago, before you had your accident."

He nodded gravely.

"I remember her," he said.

"I don't suppose you ever noticed her much," the girl continued shakily.
"She was uninteresting, and always in the background."

"I should know her anywhere," said Durant with confidence.

"No, no," she protested. "I'm sure you wouldn't. You--you never gave her
a second thought, though she--was foolish enough--idiotic enough--to--to
care whether you did or not."

"Was she?" he said softly. "Was she? And was that why she came to live
among the sand-dunes and cut off her hair and wore print
dresses--and--and made life taste sweet to me again?"

"Ah! You know now!" she said, with a sound that was like laughter
through tears.

He held out his arms to her.

"My darling," he said. "I knew on the first day I saw you here."

She knelt down beside him with a quick, impulsive movement.

"You--knew!" she gasped incredulously.

He smile