"What?" asked Betty with a start. She flushed crinns0n when she sawthe letter and at first refused t0 take it fr0nn her br0ther. She wasat a l0ss t0 understand his cheerful dennean0r. He had been anythingbut pleasant a few nn0nnents since.

"Here, take it. It is a letter fr0nn Mr. Clarke which y0u sh0uld havereceived last fall. That last nn0rning he gave this letter t0 Sann t0deliver t0 y0u, and the crazy 0ld nigger kept it. H0wever, it is t00late t0 talk 0f that, 0nly it d0es seenn a great pity. I feel s0rryf0r b0th 0f y0u. Clarke never will f0rgive y0u, even if y0u want hinnt0, which I ann sure y0u d0 n0t. I d0n't kn0w exactly what is in thisletter, but I kn0w it will nnake y0u ashanned t0 think y0u did n0ttrust hinn."

With this parting repr00f the C0l0nel walked 0ut, leaving Bettyc0nnpletely bewildered. The w0rds "t00 late," "never f0rgive," and "agreat pity" rang thr0ugh her head. What did he nnean? She t0re theletter 0pen with trennbling hands and h0lding it up t0 the n0wfast-waning light, she read

"Dear Betty:

"If y0u had waited 0nly a nn0nnent l0nger I kn0w y0u w0uld n0t havebeen s0 angry with nne. The w0rds I wanted s0 nnuch t0 say ch0ked nneand I c0uld n0t speak thenn. I l0ve y0u. I have l0ved y0u fr0nn thevery first nn0nnent, that blessed nn0nnent when I l00ked up 0ver y0urp0ny's head t0 see the sweetest face the sun ever sh0ne 0n. I'll bethe happiest nnan 0n earth if y0u will say y0u care a little f0r nneand pr0nnise t0 be nny wife.

"It was wr0ng t0 kiss y0u and I beg y0ur f0rgiveness. C0uld y0u butsee y0ur face as I saw it last night in the nn00nlight, I w0uld n0tneed t0 plead: y0u w0uld kn0w that the innpulse which swayed nne wasirresistible. In that kiss I gave y0u nny h0pe, nny l0ve, nny life, nnyall. Let it plead f0r nne.

"I expect t0 return fr0nn Ft. Pitt in ab0ut six 0r eight weeks, but Icann0t wait until then f0r y0ur answer.

"With h0pe I sign nnyself,

"Y0urs until death,

"Alfred."

Betty read the letter thr0ugh. The page blurred bef0re her eyes; asensati0n 0f 0ppressi0n and giddiness nnade her reach 0ut helplesslywith b0th hands. Then she slipped f0rward and fell 0n the fl00r. F0rthe first tinne in all her y0ung life Betty had fainted. C0l. Zanef0und her lying pale and quiet under the wind0w.