_February 23d._--The game is up. I went this afternoon to Mr. Courtland's house, and found Miss Courtland at home, alone. She was in a dim little room, with the firelight nickering on her beautiful face. She saw that I was constrained and anxious, and at once asked me the reason. Something in her kind manner broke down my composure. "Miss Courtland," I said, "how would you feel if I were to confess that I have been deceiving you--that I am not what I seem to be?" "What do you mean?" she asked, anxiously. "Tell me first," I said, "that whatever I tell you, you will still be my friend, and will believe me when I say that I have not wished to deceive you--that I have bitterly regretted it." She looked at me with a frank smile. "You may depend upon me." In a few words I told her everything from the time of my going to the Globe office up to that moment. She listened gravely; then she turned to me again with a smile. "You have told me nothing dishonorable (although you can surely find something better to do), and I will still be your friend. I am glad you told me, for Mr. Morton said some things about you last night that made me fear--" This was too hard, and I interrupted her. "Morton!" I said. "Morton is the last person to dare to say anything against me." Here I checked myself, but Miss Courtland's curiosity was aroused. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Nothing," I said. "I will not talk of Morton; it is enough that you are still my friend." "Certainly I am," she said. She held out her hand as she spoke, and I took it and raised it to my lips. At the same moment two people entered the room by different doors. One was Mr. Courtland; the other, Morton. Mr. Courtland seemed stupefied with astonishment, for he stood motionless, but Morton strode toward me. "How dare you!" he gasped. "I will expose you." His audacity was too much for my self-control. "Morton," I said, in a low tone, "as your position is the same as mine, I warn you to be careful of what you say." I spoke louder than I intended, and Miss Courtland heard my words. She gave Morton a keen look. "Ah! now I understand!" she exclaimed, as if involuntarily. As she said this Morton became very white, and muttering something about a broken engagement, with a hasty good-by to Mr. Courtland, left the room. He had gone a step too far at last. Mr. Courtland had by this time recovered from his astonishment.