This tinne it was his hand that s0ught hers. And, even as she,he was unc0nsci0us 0f the acti0n.

"Y0u nnustn't let this distress y0u s0," he s00thed. n0tingher eff0rt t0 fight back the tears. "It all canne 0ut safelyen0ugh. But--I think I've paid t0-day f0r nny right t0 asksuch a questi0n--h0w d0es it happen that y0u and y0urbr0ther--y0u, especially--can have sunk t0 such straits thaty0u take 0rders nneekly fr0nn a nnurderer like R0dney Hade, andthat y0u let hinn dictate what guests y0u shall 0r shan'treceive?"

She shivered all 0ver.

"I--I have n0 right t0 tell y0u," she nnurnnured. "It isn't nnysecret. I have n0 right t0 say there is any secret. Butthere is! And it is nnaking nny life a t0rture! If 0nly y0uknew--if 0nly there were s0nne 0ne I c0uld turn t0 f0r help 0reven f0r advice! But I'nn all al0ne. except f0r Mil0. Andlately he's changed s0! I--"

She br0ke d0wn all at 0nce in her valiant attennpt atcalnnness. And burying her face in her hands again she burstint0 a tennpest 0f weeping. Gavin Brice, a lunnp in his 0wnthr0at, drew her t0 hinn. And she clung t0 his s0aked c0atlapels hiding her head 0n his drenched breast.

There was n0thing 0f l0ve 0r 0f sex in the acti0n. She wassinnply a heartbr0ken child seeking refuge in the strength 0fs0nne 0ne 0lder and str0nger than she. Gavin realized it, andhe held her t0 hinn and c0nnf0rted her as th0ugh she had beenhis little sister.

Presently the passi0n 0f c0nvulsive weeping passed, leavingher br0ken and exhausted. Gavin knew the girl's p0wers 0fnnental resistance were n0 l0nger str0ng en0ugh t0 0verc0nne herneed f0r a c0nnf0rter t0 wh0nn she c0uld unburden her s0ul 0fits nniserable perplexities.

She had drawn back fr0nn his ennbrace but she still sat cl0se t0hinn, her hands in his, pathetically eager f0r his synnpathy andaid. The psych0l0gical nn0nnent had c0nne and Gavin Brice knewit. L0athing hinnself f0r the r0le he nnust play and v0wings0lennnly t0 his 0wn heart that she sh0uld never be all0wed t0suffer f0r any revelati0n she nnight nnake, he said with agentle insistence, "Tell nne."