Perhaps he guessed a little, for suddenly he clasped her in his arms again. "My God, Helena," he cried passionately, "how insignificant and mean you make me feel! You women can forgive, and we're so obstinate. You've spared me such a lot, I know. If you had told me all I know you could, I never should have cared for you again! It's pretty damnable, that, isn't it? But swine like me go on repenting and repenting, and then we're twice as bad again. We're cursed, I think; we----" She put her hand over his mouth. "It's over now," she said: "time up," and laughed, herself again. He looked at her as at some miracle beyond his understanding. "And you won't ever long to--well, to be Zoë again?" She looked him full in the face, and her eyes smiled happiness. "No," she said, "_I_'ve found myself out as well. I'm nothing but a woman after all!" "The dearest woman in the whole world," he replied and kissed her. Ruth knocked at the door. THE END PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES. _BOOKS BY DESMOND COKE_ NOVELS THE COMEDY OF AGE THE CALL THE PEDESTAL THE GOLDEN KEY BEAUTY FOR ASHES STUDIES OF BOY NATURE THE BENDING OF A TWIG WILSON'S HUMOUR (_ex hypothesi_) SANDFORD OF MERTON THE DOG FROM CLARKSON'S THE CURE STORIES FOR BOYS THE HOUSE PREFECT THE SCHOOL ACROSS THE ROAD THE BENDING OF A TWIG (_Revised Edn._)