"It won't seem to you as it did to me," she replied, with an embarrassed air, "and I'm sorry I spoke of it, but now that I have I may as well go on. To explain I must go back a little. Mr. Van Berg, I'm taking you to see the old gentleman who saved me from--from---" Her face was pale enough now. "My dear Miss Mayhew, don't pain yourself by referring to that." "I must," she said slowly. "By some strange fate you have seen me at my worst, and since you say you care, you shall know the rest. It may relieve your mind of a fear that I've seen in your face since. I didn't think I'll ever be so wicked and desperate again, and I wish you to know my reasons for thinking so. Well, on that dreadful night the party I was with went into a prayer-meeting, more by the way of frolic than anything else. I did not wish to go in, but, strange as it may seem to you, I was afraid to walk home, and so had to follow my company. Good old Mr. Eltinge spoke to us. He said he knew from his own long experience that there was a Divine Friend who was able and willing to cure every earthly trouble, and he spoke so simply and kindly that he caught my attention and revived my hope. I felt when I entered that place I hadn't a friend in the world or out of it. I was just blind and desperate with shame and discouragement, and--and--but perhaps you have read the letter I gave you?" "Miss Mayhew, every word of it is burned into my memory. I scarcely moved after reading it till the morning dawned, and then I went out and walked for hours before I could compose myself and dared to meet any one. As I told you then, so I say again, I had a greater escape than you had." "I'm very, very sorry," she replied, in a tone of deep regret. "I too am very, very sorry, but it is for you." She looked up quickly, and saw that his eyes were full of tears. "I'm not ashamed of them in this instance, Miss Mayhew," he said, dashing them away. She looked at him wonderingly, and then murmured: "Oh, thank God it has all turned out as it has." After a moment she added: "I've misjudged you also, Mr. Van Berg." "How? Please tell me, for I feel I have more cause to be disgusted with myself than you ever had." "Well--how shall I say what I mean? I thought you had more mind than heart." "It appears to me I've displayed a lamentable lack of both. I must have seemed to you like an animated interrogation point." "I soon learned you were very greatly my superior," she said simply. "Miss Mayhew, spare me," he replied quickly, with a deprecatory gesture. "The story you were telling interests me more deeply than you will believe, and I think we shall be better acquainted before the day is over."