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been so torturedyou will forgive me； you must； I have suffered so much；
and I am so sorry and so humble； you do forgive me； don't you？ don't
turn away； don't refuse me； it is only my love that is at fault； and you
know I love you； love you with all my heart； I couldn't bear tooh；
dear； dear； I am so miserable； and I sever meant any harm； and I didn't
see where this insanity was carrying me； and how it was wronging and
abusing the dearest heart in all the world to meandandoh； take me
in your arms again； I have no other refuge； no other home and hope！〃
There was reconciliation again…immediate； perfect； all…embracingand
with it utter happiness。 This would have been a good time to adjourn。
But no； now that the cloud…breeder was revealed at last； now that it was
manifest that all the sour weather had come from this girl's dread that
Tracy was lured by her rank and not herself； he resolved to lay that
ghost immediately and permanently by furnishing the best possible proof
that he couldn't have had back of him at any time the suspected motive。
So he said：
〃Let me whisper a little secret in your eara secret which I have kept
shut up in my breast all this time。 Your rank couldn't ever have been an
enticement。 I am son and heir to an English earl！〃
The girl stared at him…one； two； three moments； maybe a dozenthen her
lips parted：
〃You？〃 she said； and moved away from him； still gazing at him in a kind
of blank amazement。
〃Whywhy； certainly I am。 Why do you act like this？ What have I done
now？〃
〃What have you done？。 You have certainly made a most strange statement。
You must see that yourself。〃
〃Well；〃 with a timid little laugh； 〃it may be a strange enough statement；
but of what consequence is that； if it is true？〃
〃If it is true。 You are already retiring from it。〃
〃Oh； not for a moment！ You should not say that。 I have not deserved it。
I have spoken the truth； why do you doubt it？〃
Her reply was prompt。
〃Simply because you didn't speak it earlier！〃
〃Oh！〃 It wasn't a groan； exactly； but it was an intelligible enough
expression of the fact that he saw the point and recognized that there
was reason in it。
〃You have seemed to conceal nothing from me that I ought to know
concerning yourself； and you were not privileged to keep back such a
thing as this from me a moment afterafterwell； after you had
determined to pay your court to me。〃
〃Its true； it's true； I know it！ But there were circumstancesin
in the waycircumstances which〃
She waved the circumstances aside。
〃Well； you see；〃 he said； pleadingly； 〃you seemed so bent on our
traveling the proud path of honest labor and honorable poverty； that I
was terrifiedthat is； I was afraidofofwell； you know how you
talked。〃
〃Yes； I know how I talked。 And I also know that before the talk was
finished you inquired how I stood as regards aristocracies； and my answer
was calculated to relieve your fears。〃
He was silent a while。 Then he said； in a discouraged way：
〃I don't see any way out of it。 It was a mistake。 That is in truth all
it was； just a mistake。 No harm was meant； no harm in the world。
I didn't see how it might some time look。 It is my way。 I don't seem to
see far。〃
The girl was almost disarmed； for a moment。 Then she flared up again。
〃An Earl's son！ Do earls' sons go about working in lowly callings for
their bread and butter？〃
〃God knows they don't！ I have wished they did。〃
〃Do earls' sons sink their degree in a country like this； and come sober
and decent to sue for the hand of a born child of poverty when they can
go drunk； profane； and steeped in dishonorable debt and buy the pick and
choice of the millionaires' daughters of America？ You an earl's son！
Show me the signs。〃
〃I thank God I am not ableif those are the signs。 But yet I am an
earl's son and heir。 It is all I can say。 I wish you would believe me；
but you will not。 I know no way to persuade you。〃
She was about to soften again； but his closing remark made her bring her
foot down with smart vexation； and she cried out：
〃Oh； you drive all patience out of me！ Would you have one believe that
you haven't your proofs at hand； and yet are what you say you are？
You do not put your hand in your pocket nowfor you have nothing there。
You make a claim like this； and then venture to travel without
credentials。 These are simply incredibilities。 Don't you see that；
yourself？〃
He cast about in his mind for a defence of some kind or otherhesitated
a little； and then said； with difficulty and diffidence：
〃I will tell you just the truth； foolish as it will seem to you
to anybody； I supposebut it is the truth。 I had an idealcall it
a dream； a folly； if you willbut I wanted to renounce the privileges
and unfair advantages enjoyed by the nobility and wrung from the nation
by force and fraud； and purge myself of my share of those crimes against
right and reason； by thenceforth comrading with the poor and humble on
equal terms； earning with my own hands the bread I ate； and rising by my
own merit if I rose at all。〃
The young girl scanned his face narrowly while he spoke； and there was
something about his simplicity of manner and statement which touched her
touched her almost to the danger point； but she set her grip on the
yielding spirit and choked it to quiescence； it could not be wise to
surrender to compassion or any kind of sentiment； yet； she must ask one
or two more questions。 Tracy was reading her face； and what he read
there lifted his drooping hopes a little。
〃An earl's son to do that！ Why； he were a man！ A man to love！oh；
more； a man to worship！〃
〃Why？〃
〃But he never lived！ He is not born； he will not be born。 The self…
abnegation that could do thateven in utter folly； and hopeless of
conveying benefit to any； beyond the mere examplecould be mistaken for
greatness； why； it would be greatness in this cold age of sordid ideals！
A momentwaitlet me finish； I have one question more。 Your father is
earl of what？〃
〃Rossmoreand I am Viscount Berkeley！〃
The fat was in the fire again。 The girl felt so outraged that it was
difficult for her to speak。
〃How can you venture such a brazen thing！ You know that he is dead；
and you know that I know it。 Oh； to rob the living of name and honors
for a selfish and temporary advantage is crime enough； but to rob the
defenceless deadwhy it is more than crime； it degrades crime！〃
〃Oh； listen to mejust a worddon't turn away like that。 Don't go
don't leave me； sostay one moment。 On my honor〃
〃Oh； on your honor！〃
〃On my honor I am what I say！ And I will prove it； and you will believe；
I know you will。 I will bring you a messagea cablegram〃
〃When？〃
〃To…morrow…next day〃
〃Signed 'Rossmore'？〃
〃Yessigned Rossmore。〃
〃What will that prove？〃
〃What will it prove？ What should it prove？〃
〃If you force me to say itpossibly the presence of a confederate
somewhere。〃
This was a hard blow； and staggered him。 He said； dejectedly：
〃It is true。 I did not think of it。 Oh； my God； I do not know any way
to do； I do everything wrong。 You are going？and you won't say even
good…nightor good…bye