"Billy Little, I am sorry to hear you place the blame on Sukey. I suppose Dic tells you she was to blame."
"By Jove! I've made a nice mess of it," muttered Billy. "No, Dic blames himself entirely, but I know whereof I speak. That girl is in love with him, and has set this trap to steal him from you and get him for herself. She has been trying for a long time to entrap him, and you are helping her. Dic is a true, pure man, who has been enticed into error and suffers for it. You had better die unmarried than to lose him."
"I hope to die unmarried, and I pray that I may die soon," returned Rita with a deep, sad sigh.
"No, you'll not die unmarried. You will marry Williams," said Billy, looking earnestly into her eyes.
"I shall not."
"If you wish to throw Dic over and marry Williams, you should openly avow it, and not seize this misfortune of Dic's as an excuse."
"Oh, Billy Little, you don't think me capable of that, do you?" answered Rita, reproachfully.
"Do you give me your word you will not marry Williams?" asked Billy, eagerly.
"Yes, I give you my word I will not marry him, if—if I can help it," she answered, and poor Billy collapsed. He took his handkerchief from his pocket to dry the perspiration on his face, although the room was cold, and Rita drew forth her handkerchief to dry her tears.
"Dic loves you, Rita. He is one man out of ten thousand. He is honest, true, and pure-minded. He has sinned, I know; but he has repented. One sin doesn't make a sinner, and repentance is the market price of mercy. I know a great deal of this world, my girl, and of its men and women, and I tell you Dic is as fine a character as I know. I don't know a man that is his equal. Don't let this one fault condemn him and yourself to wretchedness."