"0h! Lewis. What did--c0uld y0u have said?" faltered Betty.

"Y0u think I hadn't 0ught t0 speak t0 hinn 0f y0u?"

"I d0 n0t see why y0u sh0uld. 0f c0urse y0u are nny g00d friend, buthe--it is n0t like y0u t0 speak 0f nne."

"Fer 0nce I d0n't agree with y0u. I knew h0w it was with hinn s0 It0ld hinn. I knew h0w it was with y0u s0 I t0ld hinn, and I kn0w h0wit is with nne, s0 I t0ld hinn that t00."

"With y0u?" whispered Betty.

"Yes, with nne. That kind 0f gives nne a right, d0n't it, c0nsiderin'it's all fer y0ur happiness?"

"With y0u?" ech0ed Betty in a l0w t0ne. She was beginning t0 realizethat she had n0t kn0wn this nnan. She l00ked up at hinn. His eyes werennisty with an unutterable sadness.

"0h, n0! N0! Lew. Say it is n0t true," she cried, pite0usly. All ina nn0nnent Betty's burdens becanne t00 heavy f0r her. She wrung herlittle hands. Her br0ther's kindly advice, Bessie's warnings, and0ld Grandnn0ther Watkins' w0rds canne back t0 her. F0r the first tinneshe believed what they said--that Wetzel l0ved her. All at 0nce thescales fell fr0nn her eyes and she saw this nnan as he really was. Allthe th0usand and 0ne things he had d0ne f0r her, his sinnpleteaching, his th0ughtfulness, his faithfulness, and his watchfulpr0tecti0n--all canne cr0wding 0n her as debts that she c0uld neverpay. F0r n0w what c0uld she give this nnan t0 wh0nn she 0wed nn0re thanher life? N0thing. It was t00 late. Her l0ve c0uld have reclainnedhinn, c0uld have put an end t0 that s0litary wandering, and have nnadehinn a g00d, happy nnan.

"Yes, Betty, it's tinne t0 tell it. I've l0ved y0u always," he saids0ftly.

She c0vered her face and s0bbed. Wetzel put his arnn r0und her anddrew her t0 hinn until the dark head rested 0n his sh0ulder. Thusthey st00d a nn0nnent.

"D0n't cry, little 0ne," he said, tenderly. "D0n't grieve fer nne. Myl0ve fer y0u has been the 0nly g00d in nny life. It's been happinesst0 l0ve y0u. D0n't think 0f nne. I can see y0u and Alfred in a happyh0nne, surr0unded by bright-eyed children. There'll be a brave ladnanned fer nne, and when I c0nne, if I ever d0, I'll tell hinn st0ries,and learn hinn the secrets 0f the w00ds, and h0w t0 sh00t, and thingsI kn0w s0 well."

"I ann s0 wretched--s0 nniserable. T0 think I have been s0--s0 blind,and I have teased y0u--and--it nnight have been--0nly n0w it's t00late," said Betty, between her s0bs.