"Thank God! Thank God!" Laura cried, wringing his two hands, and gazing into his eyes.
"You are glad," he said. "I suppose I knew you would be, but I could not realise that it would make so much difference to you."
"In one way it makes no difference," she said more quietly, as she sat down and pointed to his accustomed place. "I knew the truth from the beginning. But it is for you. I saw how unhappy you were yesterday. Now tell me all about it."
He told her all that had taken place since he had left her on the previous day, as it has been told in these pages, and his heart beat fast as he saw in her eyes the constant and great interest she felt.
"And so I am quite free of it all at last," he said, when he had finished.
"And you will be happy now," answered Laura, softly. "You have been through almost everything, it seems to me. Do you realise how much I know of all your life? It is strange, is it not? You are not fond of making confidences, and you never made but one to me, when you could not help yourself. Yes; it is very strange that I should know so much about you."
"And still be willing to call me your friend?" added Ghisleri. "I do not know how you can—and yet—" He stopped. "The reason is," he said suddenly, "that you have long been a part of my life—that is why you know me so well. I think that even long ago we were much more intimate than we knew or dreamed of. There were many reasons for that."
"Yes," Laura answered. "And then, after all, I have known you ever since I first went out as a young girl. I did not like you at first, I remember, though I could never tell why. But as for your saying that you cannot see why I should still be your friend, I do not understand how you mean it. It seems to me that you have done much to get my friendship and to strengthen it, and nothing to lose it. Besides, you yourself know that you are not what you were. You have changed. You were saying so only yesterday, and you said the change was for the better."
"Yes, I have changed," said Ghisleri. "It is of no use to deny it. I do not mean in everything, though I do not lead the life I did. Perhaps it all goes together after all."
"That is not very clear," observed Laura, with a low laugh.