"Gloria! You——"
"Sh, Mark; you mustn't——"
But he couldn't lie still. He lifted himself upon his elbow and looked at her with wondering eyes. She stood over him, looking on the verge of collapse. Slowly she came down to him, half kneeling, half falling.
"My God," he cried hoarsely. "You went for my bear? You did it."
She tried to smile at him, and into his own eyes there broke a sudden gush of tears.
"You wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Gloria!" he cried out. "There is no girl in all the world could have done that—there is no girl like you."
Her hand was questing his; he caught it and gripped it with all the strength in him; he hurt her, and at last, with the pain, her smile broke through.
"Gloria——"
"Mark?"
"Can you—not so soon, but some day—forgive me?"