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aside and lets her suffer？ Why should she heed its wretched
babble？〃 he went on in flashing indignation。
〃Because；〃 she said faintly； lifting her moist eyes and moist and
parted lips towards him；〃because it would be TRUE！〃
There was a silence so profound that even the spring seemed to
withhold its song as their eyes and lips met。 When the spring
recommenced its murmur； and they could hear the droning of a bee
above them and the rustling of the reed； she was murmuring； too；
with her face against his breast： 〃You did not think it strange
that I should follow youthat I should risk everything to tell you
what I have told you before I told you anything else？ You will
never hate me for it； George？〃
There was another silence still more prolonged； and when he looked
again into the flushed face and glistening eyes he was saying； 〃I
have ALWAYS loved you。 I know now I loved you from the first； from
the day when I leaned over you to take little Sta from your lap and
saw your tenderness for him in your eyes。 I could have kissed you
THEN； dearest； as I do now。〃
〃And；〃 she said； when she had gained her smiling breath again； 〃you
will always remember； George； that you told me this BEFORE I told
you anything of her。〃
〃HER？ Of whom； dearest？〃 he asked； leaning over her tenderly。
〃Of Kittyof your wife；〃 she said impatiently； as she drew back
shyly with her former intense gaze。
He did not seem to grasp her meaning； but said gravely； 〃Let us not
talk of her NOW。 Later we shall have MUCH to say of her。 For；〃 he
added quietly； 〃you know I must tell her all。〃
The color faded from her cheek。 〃Tell her all！〃 she repeated
vacantly； then suddenly she turned upon him eagerly； and said； 〃But
what if she is gone？〃
〃Gone？〃 he repeated。
〃Yes； gone。 What if she has run away with Van Loo？ What if she
has disgraced you and her child？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 he said； seizing both her hands and gazing at
her fixedly。
〃I mean；〃 she said； with a half…frightened eagerness； 〃that she has
already gone with Van Loo。 George！ George！〃 she burst out
suddenly and passionately； falling upon her knees before him； 〃do
you think that I would have followed you here and told you what I
did if I thought that she had now the slightest claim upon your
love or honor？ Don't you understand me？ I came to tell you of her
flight to Boomville with that man； how I accidentally intercepted
them there； how I tried to save her from him； and even lied to you
to try to save her from your indignation； but how she deceived me
as she has you； and even escaped and joined her lover while you
were with me。 I came to tell you that and nothing more； George； I
swear it。 But when you were kind to me and pitied me； I was mad
wild！ I wanted to win you first out of your own love。 I wanted
you to respond to MINE before you knew your wife was faithless。
Yet I would have saved her if I could。 Listen； George！ A moment
more before you speak！〃
Then she hurriedly told him all； the whole story of his wife's
dishonor； from her entrance into the sitting…room with Van Loo； her
later appeal for concealment from her husband's unexpected
presence； to the use she made of that concealment to fly with her
lover。 She spared no detail； and even repeated the insult Mrs。
Barker had cast upon her with the triumphant reproach that her
husband would not believe her。 〃Perhaps；〃 she added bitterly； 〃you
may not believe me now。 I could even stand that from you； George；
if it could make you happier； but you would still have to believe
it from others。 The people at the Boomville Hotel saw them leave
it together。〃
〃I do believe you；〃 be said slowly； but with downcast eyes； 〃and if
I did not love you before you told me this I could love you now for
the part you have taken； but〃 He stopped。
〃You love her still；〃 she burst out； 〃and I might have known it。
Perhaps；〃 she went on distractedly； 〃you love her the more that you
have lost her。 It is the way of menand women。〃
〃If I had loved her truly；〃 said Barker； lifting his frank eyes to
hers； 〃I could not have touched YOUR lips。 I could not even have
wished toas I did three years agoas I did last night。 Then I
feared it was my weakness； now I know it was my love。 I have
thought of it ever since； even while waiting my wife's return here；
knowing that I did not and never could have loved her。 But for
that very reason I must try to save her for her own sake； if I
cannot save her for mine； and if I fail； dearest； it shall not be
said that we climbed to happiness over her back bent with the
burden of her shame。 If I loved you and told you so； thinking her
still guiltless and innocent； how could I profit now by her fault？〃
Mrs。 Horncastle saw too late her mistake。 〃Then you would take her
back？〃 she said frenziedly。
〃To my homewhich is hersyes。 To my heartno。 She never was
there。〃
〃And I；〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle； with a quivering lip；〃where do I
go when you have settled this？ Back to my past again？ Back to my
husbandless； childless life？〃
She was turning away； but Barker caught her in his arms again。
〃No！〃 he said； his whole face suddenly radiating with hope and
youthful enthusiasm。 〃No！ Kitty will help us； we will tell her
all。 You do not know her； dearest； as I dohow good and kind she
is； in spite of all。 We will appeal to her； she will devise some
means by which； without the scandal of a divorce； she and I may be
separated。 She will take dear little Sta with herit is only
right； poor girl； but she will let me come and see him。 She will
be a sister to us； dearest。 Courage！ All will come right yet。
Trust to me。〃
An hysterical laugh came to Mrs。 Horncastle's lips and then
stopped。 For as she looked up at him in his supreme hopefulness；
his divine confidence in himself and othersat his handsome face
beaming with love and happiness； and his clear gray eyes glittering
with an almost spiritual prescienceshe； woman of the world and
bitter experience； and perfectly cognizant of her own and Kitty's
possibilities； was； nevertheless； completely carried away by her
lover's optimism。 For of all optimism that of love is the most
convincing。 Dear boy！for he was but a boy in experienceonly
his love for her could work this magic。 So she gave him kiss for
kiss； largely believing； largely hoping； that Mrs。 Barker was in
love with Van Loo and would NOT return。 And in this hope an
invincible belief in the folly of her own sex soothed and sustained
her。
〃We must go now； dearest；〃 said Barker； pointing to the sun already
near the meridian。 Three hours had fled； they knew not how。 〃I
will bring you back to the hill again； but there we had better
separate； you taking your way alone to the hotel as you came； and I
will go a little way on the road to the Divide and return later。
Keep your own counsel about Kitty for her sake and ours； perhaps no
one else may know the truth yet。〃 With a farewell kiss they
plunged again hand in hand through the cool bracken and again
through the hot manzanita bushes； and so parted on the hilltop； as
they had never parted before； leaving their whole world behind
them。
Barker walked slowly along the road under the flickering shade of
wayside sycamore； his sensitive face also alternating with his
thought in lights and shadows。 Presently there crept towards him
out of the distance a halting； vacillating； deviating buggy；
trailing a cloud of dust after it like a broken wing。 As it came
nearer he could see that the horse was spent and exhausted； and
that the buggy's sole occupanta womanwas equally exhausted in
her monotonous attempt to urge it forward with whip and reins that
rose and fell at intervals with feeble reiteration。 Then he
stepped out of the shadow and stood in the middle of the sunlit
road to await it。 For he recognized his wife。
The buggy came nearer。 And then the most exquisite pang he had
ever felt before at his wife's hands shot through him。 For as she
recognized him she made a wild but impotent attempt to dash past
him； and then as suddenly pulled up in the ditch。
He went up to her。 She was dirty； she was disheveled； she was
haggard； she was plain。 There were rings of dust round her tear…
swept eyes and smudges of dust…dried perspiration over her fair
cheek。 He thought of the beauty； freshness； and elegance of the
woman he had just left； and an infinite pity swept the soul of this
weak…minded gentleman。 He ran towards her； and tenderly lifting
her in her shame…stained garments from the buggy； said hurriedly；
〃I know it all； poor Kitty！ You heard the news of Van Loo's
flight； and you ran over to the Divide to try and save some of your
money。 Why didn't you wait？ Why didn't you tell me？〃
There was no mistaking the reality of his words； the genuine pity
and tenderness of his action； but the woman s