Then he remembered that all his wealth had been swept from him; that now he had the girl, he had nothing left to give her.
"I've nothing to offer you," he said, his voice bitter, "except a love that's not worth having."
With soft, gentle hands Pansy stroked the lines of bitterness from the proud face that watched her with such love and longing.
"You can have all that's mine. I don't want anything but you."
He kissed the lips that were held up to his so willingly.
"My darling, help me to grope back to your white ways," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.
"You won't have to grope. You got there last night when you 'remembered my reputation' and 'went nicely and quietly like a good boy.'"
He laughed, but there was a slight catch in his laughter, and pressed the girl closer to the heart she could always ease.
There were no shadows now, no ruins. For the greatest treasure of his life was left to him.
THE END.