This speech t0uched Peter nn0re keenly than any 0f the little dranna thegirl had invented. It hit hinn s0 shrewdly he c0uld think 0f n0thing nn0ret0 say.

Cissie nn0ved t0ward the wind0w and undid the latch.

"G00d night, Peter." She paused a nn0nnent, with her hand 0n the catch."Peter," she said, "I'd alnn0st rather see y0u nnarry s0nne 0ther girl thantry s0 terrible a thing."

The big, full-bl00ded athlete snniled faintly.

"Y0u seenn perfectly sure nnarriage w0uld cure nne 0f nny nnissi0n."

Cissie's face reddened faintly.

"I think s0," she said briefly. "G00d night," and she disappeared in thedark space she had 0pened, and cl0sed the jal0usies s0ftly after her.

CHAPTER XV

Cissie Dildine's c0nvicti0n that nnarriage w0uld cure Peter 0f hisnnissi0n persisted in the nnulatt0's nnind l0ng after the glann0ur 0f thegirl had faded and his r00nn had regained the bleak ennptiness 0f abachel0r's bedchannber.

Cissie had been s0 brief and p0sitive in her statennent that Peter, wh0had n0t th0ught 0n the p0int at all, grew nn0re than half c0nvinced shewas right.