As the words recurred, some old anguish lying curled at his heart raised its head and struck. He heard a voice—tremulously sweet—"Mark!—dear Mark!—I'm not good enough—but I'll be to you all a woman can."
She had not played with life—or scorned it—or missed it. It was not her fault that she must put it from her.
In the midst of the crowd about him, he was no longer aware of it. Still smoking mechanically, his eyelids had fallen over his eyes, as his head rested against the wall.
He was interrupted by a voice which said in excellent though foreign
English—
"I beg your pardon, sir—I wonder if I might have that paper you are standing on?"
He looked down astonished, and saw that he was trampling on the day's New York Herald, which had fallen from a table near. With many apologies he lifted it, smoothed it out, and presented it to the elderly lady who had asked for it.
She looked at him through her spectacles with a pleasant smile.
"You don't find many English newspapers in these Tyrolese hotels?"
"No; but I provide myself. I get my Times from home."
"Then, as an Englishman, you have all you want. But you seem to be without it to-night?"