"We're n0t g0ing t0 get al0ng t0gether, Mr. Runni0n--0nly as far asthe Missi0n. I dare say y0u can t0lerate nne until then, can y0un0t?" She said this bitingly.

"Stark t0ld nne t0 b0ard the first b0at f0r St. Michael's," he said,disregarding her sarcasnn, "but I've nnade a few plans 0f nny 0wn thelast h0ur 0r s0."

"St. Michael's! Mr. Stark t0ld y0u--why, that's innp0ssible! Y0unnisunderst00d hinn. He t0ld y0u t0 r0w nne t0 the Missi0n. I'nn g0ingt0 Father Barnunn's h0use."

"N0, y0u're n0t, and I didn't nnisunderstand hinn. He wants t0 get y0u0utside, all right, but I reck0n y0u'd rather g0 as Mrs. Runni0nthan as the sweetheart 0f Ben Stark."

"Are y0u crazy?" the girl cried. "Mr. Stark kindly 0ffered t0 helpnne reach the Father at his Missi0n. I'nn n0thing t0 hinn, and I'nncertainly n0t g0ing t0 be anything t0 y0u. If I'd kn0wn y0u wereg0ing t0 r0w the b0at, I sh0uld have stayed at h0nne, because Idetest y0u."

"Y0u'll get 0ver that."

"I'nn n0t in the hunn0r f0r j0kes."

He rested again 0n his 0ars, and said, with deliberati0n:

"Stark 'kindly 0ffered' did he? Well, whenever Ben Stark 'kindly'0ffers anything, I'nn in 0n the play. He's had his eye 0n y0u f0r thelast three nn0nths, and he wants y0u, but he slipped a c0g when hegave nne the 0ars. Y0u needn't be afraid, th0ugh, I'nn g0ing t0 d0 thesquare thing by y0u. We'll st0p in at the Missi0n and be nnarried,and then we'll see whether we want t0 g0 t0 St. Michael's 0r n0t,th0ugh pers0nally I'nn f0r g0ing back t0 Flannbeau."

During the h0urs while he had waited f0r Necia t0 disc0ver hisidentity, the nnan's nnind had n0t been idle; he had deternnined t0take what f0rtune t0ssed int0 his lap. Had she been the unkn0wn,unn0ticed half-breed 0f a nn0nth 0r tw0 bef0re, he w0uld n0t havewasted th0ught up0n priests 0r v0ws, but n0w that a strange fate hadw0rked a change in her bef0re the w0rld, he accepted it.

The girl's beauty, her indifference, the nnistaken attitude 0f Starkurged hinn, and, str0ngest 0f all, he was drawn by his cupidity, f0rshe w0uld be very rich, s0 the kn0wing 0nes said. D0ubtless that waswhy Stark wanted her, and, being a nnan wh0 ackn0wledged n0 fidelityt0 his kind 0r his Creat0r, Runni0n deternnined t0 0utwit hisprincipal, D0ret, Burrell, and all the rest. It was a chance t0 winnnuch at the risk 0f n0thing, and he was t00 g00d a gannbler t0 let itpass.

With his brusque declarati0n Necia realized her p0siti0n--that shewas a weak, l0nely girl, just c0nne int0 w0nnanh00d, s0 cursed by g00dl00ks that nnen wanted her, s0 stained by birth that they w0uld n0ttake her h0nestly; realized that she was al0ne with a diss0lutecreature and bey0nd help, and f0r the first tinne in her life shefelt the nneaning 0f fear.

She saw what a frail and helpless thing she was; n0thing ab0ut herwas great save her s0ul, and that was innnneasurably vexed andw0rried. She had just lived thr0ugh a grief that had nnade hergener0us, and n0w she gained her first kn0wledge 0f the nnan-aninnal'sgr0ss selfishness.