"So you see I have loved you all along!" she concluded. "Only I did not dare hope that the chance would come to pass, against which the odds were 5999." "But great heavens!" cried Lord Silverdale, "do you mean to say this is why you were so cold to me all those long weary months?" "It is the only reason," faltered Lillie. "But would you have had me defy the probabilities?" "No, no, of course not. I wouldn't dream of such a thing. But you have miscalculated them!" "Miscalculated them?" Lillie began to tremble violently. "Yes, there is a fallacy in your ratiocination." "A fallacy!" she whispered hoarsely. "Yes, you have calculated on the theory that the probabilities are independent, whereas they are interdependent. In the algebra of love this is the typical class of probabilities. The two events--your falling in love with me, my falling in love with you--are related; they are not absolutely isolated phenomena as you have superficially assumed. It is our common qualities which make us gravitate together, and what makes me love you is the same thing that makes you love me. Thus the odds against our loving each other are immensely less than you have ciphered out." Lillie had fallen back, huddled up, in her corner of the carriage, her face covered with her hands. "Forgive me," said Lord Silverdale penitently. "I had no right to correct your mathematics on your wedding-day. Say two and two are six and I will make it so." "Two and two are not six and you know it," said Lillie firmly, raising her wet face. "It is I who have to ask forgiveness for being so cruel to you. But if I have sinned, I have sinned in ignorance. You will believe that, dearest?" "I believe anything that comes from my Rainbow's lips," said Lord Silverdale. "Why, they are quite white! Let me kiss them rosy again." Like a naughty child that has been chastened by affliction she held up her face obediently to meet his. The lips were already blushing. "But confess," she said, while an arch indefinable light came into the brown eyes, "confess we have had a most original courtship." [Illustration] * * * * * * Transcriber's note: Throughout the document, the oe-ligature was replaced with "oe". Throughout the dialogues, there were words used to mimic accents of the speakers. Those words were retained as-is. The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate. Thus the page number of the illustration might not match the page number in the List of Illustrations, and the order of illustrations may not be the same in the List of Illustrations and in the book. Errors in punctuation and inconsistent hyphenation were not corrected unless otherwise noted.