"Perhaps," evenly. "I warned you that if you stayed we'd be ourselves to-day. I merely told you things as they are." Craig opened his lips to speak; but closed them again in silence. One of his hands, long fingered, white as a woman's, lay in his lap. Against his will now and then a muscle contracted nervously; and of a sudden he thrust the telltale member deep into his trousers pocket. "But the future, Bess," he challenged, "your future. You can't go on this way indefinitely. What are you going to do?" "I don't know." "Haven't you ever thought of it?" "It seems to me I've thought of nothing else--for an age." "And you've decided nothing?" "Absolutely nothing." Again the man drew a long breath; but even thereafter his voice trembled. "Let me decide for you then, Bess," he said. "You?" The girl inspected him slowly through level eyes. "By what right should you be permitted to decide?" The man returned her look. Of a sudden he had become calm. His eyes were steady. Deep down in his consciousness he realised that he would win, that the moment was his moment. "The right is mine because I love you, Bess Landor," he said simply. "Love me, after what you have done?" "Yes. I have been mad--and done mad things. But I've discovered my fault. That's why I've come back; to tell you so--and to make amends." Intensely, desperately intensely, the girl continued her look; but the man was master of himself now, sure of himself, so sure that he voiced a challenge. "And you, Bess Landor, love me. In spite of the fact that you ran away, in spite of the fact that you are married, you love me!" Into the girl's brown face there crept a trace of colour; her lips parted, but she said no word. "You can't deny it," exulted the man. "You can't--because it is true." A moment longer they sat so, motionless; then for a second time that day Clayton Craig did a wise thing, inspiration wise. While yet he was master of the situation, while yet the time was his, he arose. "I'm going now, Bess," he said, "but I'll come again." He looked at her deeply, meaningly. "I've said all there is to say, for I've told you that I love you. Good-bye for now, and remember this: If I've stolen your happiness, I'll give it all back. As God is my witness, I'll give it all back with interest." Swiftly, before she could answer, he turned away and strode toward the impatient thoroughbred. Equally swiftly he undid the tie strap and mounted. Without another word, or a backward glance, he rode away; the galloping hoofs of his mount muffled in the damp spring earth.