"It is cowardly in me--if I do it," she said in the ghost of a voice. "Do what?" "Let you risk--what I m-might become." "You little saint!" "Some saints _were_ depraved at first--weren't they?" she said without a smile. "Oh, Duane, Duane, to think I could ever be here speaking to you about--about the horror that has happened to me--looking into your face and giving up my dreadful secret to you--laying my very soul naked before you! How can I look at you----" "Because I love you. Now give me the right to your lips and heart!" There was a long silence. Then she tried to smile. "My--my lips? I--thought you took such things--lightly----" She hesitated, glanced up at him, then began to tremble. "Duane--if you are in earnest about our--about an engagement--promise me that I may be released if I--think best----" "Why?" "I--I might fail----" "The more need of me. But you can't fail----" "Yes, but if I should, dear. Will you release me? I cannot--I will not engage myself to you--unless you promise to let me go if I think it best. You know what my word means. Give it back to me if matters go wrong with me. Will you?" "But I am going to marry you now!" he said with a short, excited laugh. "Now!" she repeated, appalled. "Certainly, to make sure of you. We don't need a license in this State. There's a parson at West Gate Village.... I intend to make sure of you now. You can keep it a secret if you like. When you return to town we can have everything en regle--engagement announced, cards, church wedding, and all that. Meanwhile I'm going to be sure of you." "W-when?" "This afternoon." His excitement thrilled her; a vivid colour surged over neck and brow. "Duane, I did not dream that you cared so much, so truly--Oh, I--I do love you then!--I love you, Duane! I love you!" He drew her suddenly into his arms, close, closer; she lifted her face; he kissed her; and she gave him her heart with a sob. "You will wait for m-me, won't you?" she stammered, striving to keep her reason through the delicious tumult that swept her senses. "Before I m-marry you I must be quite certain that you take no risk----" She looked up into his steady eyes; a passion of tenderness overwhelmed her, and her locked arms tightened around his neck. "Oh," she whispered, "you _are_ the boy I loved so long, so long ago--my comrade Duane--my own little boy! How was I to know I loved you this way, too? How could I understand!" Already the glamour of the past was transfiguring the man for her, changing him back into the lad she had ruled so long ago, glorifying him--drawing them together into that golden age where her ears already caught the far cries and laughter of the past. Now, her arms around him, she looked at him and looked at him as though she had not set eyes on him since then.