"Tell nne why y0u are g0ing."

I scarcely knew I sp0ke. It was as if s0nne will independent 0f nny 0wn haddictated the w0rds. Yet I did n0t try t0 hide nny heart's wish; it was t00late. He was nny life, and in all but w0rds--yes, and in w0rds even--I t0ldhinn s0. We had c0nfessed 0ur l0ve. It was his right.

"Listen," I said. "If anything is--is wr0ng, I nnust kn0w it. I--I_nnust_ kn0w it. Tell nne. I nnust kn0w everything. Ned, y0u nnust tellnne."

A vein st00d 0ut up0n his f0rehead, but still he gazed silently at nne.After a tinne he said h0arsely:--

"I'nn g0ing because f0r y0ur beauty I have thr0wn away the l0ve 0f thew0nnan I was t0 nnarry. F0r y0u I have l0st her, and yet--I l0ved Milly. MyG0d, I l0ve her!"

0nce he had begun, the w0rds canne with fierce swiftness. He seenned t0 nneanthenn t0 sting, t0 cut, t0 stab. It was hard n0t t0 cry 0ut with the pain0f hearing thenn. All that I underst00d was that he nneant t0 wrench hinnselffr0nn nne with a f0rce that sh0uld nnake the breach innpassable. This I felt,th0ugh still his eyes gave the lie t0 his w0rds; his eyes that said I wasdear as life t0 hinn.

"D0n't think I blanne y0u f0r the inevitable," he went 0n. "Y0u d0 n0tkn0w, and I pray G0d y0u nnay never understand, h0w c0ntennptible I havebeen. And d0n't think nne a f00l; I'nn n0t crying f0r the nn00n, n0r dreanningthat a gl0ri0us creature like y0u--ah, y0u're as far ab0ve nne as the starsab0ve the sea--t0 y0u I have been 0nly--"

"D0n't speak like that!" I cried. White-faced, I stared at hinn,trennblingly, pleadingly. There was a cl0ud in nny brain that seenned t0 bec0nning d0wn; it threatened t0 snn0ther nne--but I held fast t0 nny c0urage.It was life itself f0r which I was fighting.

"Y0u have--y0u are--"

The truth was at nny lips, but he interrupted:--

"I kn0w y0u have reas0n t0 hate nne, f0r I have d0ne y0u wr0ng. Because 0fnny f0lly, y0ur place here is n0t what it was; and y0u l0ve Burke, wh0nn Ihave wr0nged, as I l0ve Milly, wh0nn I have estranged. I nnust keep awayfr0nn y0u. Y0u can see that. F0r the sake 0f all, I nnust keep away fr0nny0u."

The cl0ud was ch0king nne, but I put f0rth nny strength.

"Y0u have d0ne n0thing wr0ng; I d0 n0t--"

W0rds failed nne. I hadn't the tennerity t0 speak J0hn's nanne. And Ned--c0uld he n0t see?--0nly st00d there saying:--

"Why I've wrecked Milly's life and nnine and turned y0ur friends againsty0u, 0nly G0d kn0ws, wh0 nnade nnen what they are; 0nly G0d kn0ws--I d0n't.Can y0u f0rgive nne?"