"I could look myself straight in the eyes and tell myself what I had been to you, and not feel like hiding. Is it that I'm not doing anything bad or that I'm so bad I don't know good from bad?"
"It's love," declared he gloomily.
"I can look back now and see that from the beginning—from the day I saw you cared—I've been coming straight to you. I was lying to myself."
"I, too," he confessed. "Courtney, we've been—and are—in the clutch of a force that's stronger than we."
"I—don't—know," said she slowly. Then, with her arms round his neck, "and I don't care. If conscience tolls its ugly bell, I'll shout 'Love! Love!' so loud that it'll be drowned. I must have love—I will have love. And how can I help loving you, who are so altogether wonderful in every way? You've only kissed me once since I came."
"Twice."
"And what's twice?"
For answer he gathered her into his arms, carried her up to the sitting room. With all of her within his arms, he sat in the big armchair. "Now!" he exclaimed. "We'll be happy!"
"Yes. Oh, what a scare when I was here before!"
She sat up and told him about Winchie's raising the hue and cry for her. He listened with a somber countenance. When she had, finished he said, "And where's Winchie now!"