"You're the nicest man I ever met," blurted Sadie, with astounding frankness. "Do you mean that?" cried Barnes, rapturously. "Indeed I mean it," admitted Sadie, timidly, backing away from his burning glances. "Then you won't mind my saying," said Barnes fervently, "that you're the nicest ma'--I mean girl--I ever met. Why, would you believe it--confound it, here's that man Gladwin again. Please come upstairs and I'll finish, handcuffs or no handcuffs." CHAPTER XL. STRIKING WHILE THE IRON IS HOT. As Travers Gladwin skimmed up the stairs to warn Helen of the arrival of her aunt, he was thinking on four sides of his brain at the same time and revolving together so many lightning plans, that the result was a good deal of a jumble. In consequence, he was wild-eyed, out of breath and more than a trifle incoherent when he parted the crimson curtains of the den and precipitately entered. "Your aunt," he began as he checked his momentum and stopped against a table beside which Miss Burton was seated, "but don't get up--and don't be frightened. She need never know. I'll take the blame for everything. I am the Travers Gladwin you were going to elope with, and I'll go to jail if necessary." He paused for breath, while Helen rose from her chair and protested. "Impossible, Mr. Gladwin. I"---- "Nothing of the sort," the young man stopped her. "It is perfectly possible, and I only wish that I were the man you had chosen to elope with. I'd elope with you now--in a minute--aunt or no aunt." "You must not talk that way," cried the young girl, her face aflame. "You are only saying this out of politeness, a sense of chivalry, and while I appreciate all you are doing for me I could not accept any such sacrifice." "Sacrifice!" he retorted, with increasing ardor. "Call it blessing; call it heavenly boon; call it the pinnacle of my desire, the apogee of my hopes--call it anything in the world but sacrifice." "Oh, you must not talk to me this way!" exclaimed the girl, sinking back into her chair and covering her face with her hands. "But I certainly must," the young man reeled on. "It is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It has come upon me like a stroke of lightning--it may not seem reasonable--it may not seem sane. I can't help that. It is here--inside of me"---- "Stop," Helen interposed again, her voice faint and tremulous. "You are taking advantage of my helpless situation. Why, you hardly know me!" she added, with a swift change of tone as if she had made a sudden discovery. Taking her hands from her face she looked up at him through widening eyes misty with tears. The young man bit his lip and turned his head away. "Pardon me," he said bitterly, after a moment's pause. "I had not thought of it in that light. It does seem as if I were taking advantage of you." He looked at her steadily a moment until she dropped her eyes.