never be your wife."

"But why? Why?"

"I--I cannot tell you," she faltered.

He was about to speak impatiently, but before her evident distress he
checked the words and asked gently: "Is it something against me?"

"Oh, no!" she answered quickly.

"Sure? Isn't it something you've heard that I've done or--or not done?
Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings. I'll make a clean breast of it all, if
you say so. God knows I was a fool, but I've kept straight since I knew
you, I'll swear to that."

"I believe you, dear."

"You believe me, you call me 'dear,' you look at me out of those wonderful
eyes as if you cared for me."

"I do, I do," she murmured.

[Illustration: "'Alice,' he cried ... 'Say it isn't true.'"]

"You care for me, and yet you turn me down," he said bitterly. "It reminds
me of a verse I read," and drawing a small volume from his pocket he turned
the pages quickly. "Ah, here it is," and he marked some lines with a
pencil. "There!"