"Have I not?" he broke in, grimly, and with a significant glance at the

revolver. "Oh, yes; I realize it clearly enough; it was because I did

that I decided to--slip out of it. I am sorry that you prevented me. It

was good of you; it was brave of you; you meant well. And you have

succeeded. It is a case of the interposing angel; but you have placed me

in a terrible fix. I don't know what I am going to do."

His hands fell to his side with a gesture of helplessness and despair,

and he turned his head away from the searching gaze of the clear eyes

regarding him so intently.

"Tell the truth," said Celia, in an urgent whisper. "Why should you

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screen the guilty? Why should you suffer in his place? Oh, I don't want

to hear the story, it does not concern me. But if you told it to me, it

would make no difference, it would not alter my opinion that you intend

to do a very wicked things--and a very foolish one."

"Foolish! That hits me rather hard," he commented, with a wry smile.

"Well, it is foolish," said Celia, emphatically. "Why, look how young

you are!"

"Why, how young do you think I am?" he interrupted, looking down at her

with a grave smile. "As I said just now, you seem to regard me as if I

were a boy. I think I am as old as you--older. How old are you--you look

like a girl?"

"I am twenty-two--but what has that to do with it? How can you turn

aside, trifle----"

"And I am twenty-five," he said, with an involuntary sigh. "So you see I

am your senior. But they say a woman is always ten years older than a

man of the same age. I suppose that is why you always have us under your

thumbs. No, I'm not trifling. Don't you see that I am fighting for time,

that I am trying not to think, that I am putting the thing from me as

far as I can, even for a few minutes. Immediately you go, I shall have

to face it all again, and--alone. You have been very good to me; you

don't think I am ungrateful, because I--I play the fool?"

"Don't play it any longer, then," said Celia, earnestly. "Make up your

mind to do the right thing. Why should you ruin yourself? But I have

said that before. You know I am right; you say you are grateful because

I have stopped you from----" She shuddered, and her hand closed still

more tightly on the revolver. "Promise me----"




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