"And in the world," he whispered. "But no matter how others might look, they would be nothing to me."
And again he gave no thought to Stephanie Maynard nor to any other woman in the lands far away beyond the seas. She smiled down at him.
"It is good to hear you say that."
"It is my turn now," he went on. "There are other men there, bigger, stronger, wiser, handsomer men than I. When you shall see them--"
"I shall never see any one but you anywhere all my life," answered the girl, simply.
"But Hano?"
"I was to marry him only because he was the best."
"And if you found one better than I?"
"There could be none."
"I shall do my best to keep you in that belief," answered Beekman. "Oh, Truda, beautiful, innocent little Truda, when I lay starving, dying on that barrier yonder, my hands red with the blood of men, parted apparently forever from all that made life worth while to me, I cursed my fortune and would fain have died, but now--"