Thirlwell kept her hand. "I got some satisfaction from beating your antagonist."
"But you wanted to help me?"
"I did," said Thirlwell, with a steady look. "I was anxious to do something that would make you happy."
Agatha turned her head. "Yet you once refused; the morning after we found the lode—"
"Ah," said Thirlwell, "I fought a pretty hard battle then! But, you see, I was a poor engineer, and you—"
She looked up with a smile and blushed. "Do you think I didn't know? But you were foolish; ridiculously stupid!"
Thirlwell took her other hand. "Perhaps I was, but I thought I was right. Things, however, are different now—"
He drew her to him, but she resisted. "Wait! If things had not been different, would your resolution have held out?"
"No," said Thirlwell, "I'm afraid not; I'm not as strong as I imagined."
"Oh!" she said, "perhaps that's the nicest thing I have heard you say! But you really didn't often try to be very nice."