"I see now clearly what I saw not at the time,--that my weakness came upon me fr-rom my own lack of str-rength to make an effort. I was cr-rushed by a gr-rief when I left my land to come to America. I allowed it to paralyze my will. I let myself dr-rift, not caring enough about what became of me to exert myself to ward off poverty. Poverty never had been mine,--I did not r-realize it, but I did know well the meaning of self-r-respect and honor, and it was base of me to permit my will so to sink." Again he paused. "I tire you? You let me go on?" Sydney's face looked white in the moonlight. She assented by a motion of the head. "Even when I knew--you--" Sydney gazed down at the scintillant water. Von Rittenheim did not turn to her, and went on, steadily,-- "--and admired your beauty and your sweetness--for-rgive me that I say these things so baldly--and wondered at the r-responsibilities you assumed, and at the care you took of every needing person who came near you--even fr-rom you whom I admired and--whom I admired with all my str-rength, I did not learn the lesson that was before my eyes." "How can you say all this to me, Baron? You must not." "You will do me the justice to listen just a pair of minutes longer. Now I see it all clearly; now I have a purpose in my life. It is to make you look upon me with r-respect,--with so much r-respect that you will for-rget that on one of those turned-over pages of my life there is a blot." "And you have chosen to seek your salvation through work! It is a fine spirit, Baron, and the American gospel--though perhaps you may not like it the more on that account." "You are an American." Sydney blushed and laughed,--her sweet, rich laugh. She was glad to be a little farther away from tragedy. "Shall I tell you my plan? You will see how I am practical! My salvation lies in the unpoetic shape of--cattle." "Cattle?" "I have some money for which I sent to Germany; some that I felt it r-right to use if I should be in gr-reat need of it, but which I should not have sent for except that I was ill. With this money and my little farm I go into partnership with young Mr. McRae. His father gives to him one-half of his so large estate. On his place and mine we r-raise a cr-rop which we feed to our cr-reatures." "Where are they to come from?" "Some we do r-raise ourselves, and some we buy here and there, every-where in these mountains where we can find two or three colts--no, calves." "Will there be a sufficient market to justify you?" "How wonderful for business are you! Yes, we think so. Alr-ready have we an or-rder to send a whole carload of steers to R-richmond." "Really? You've really begun?" "Yes, I take much pr-ride to say that we have begun two days ago. Patton is to buy the calves at first, he does so well understand the folk of the mountains; and later, when I talk more accurately English, then I shall help him. Until then my part is on the farms."