"It does," said he, meeting her eyes unflinchingly.
"If you weren't a brave man, I shouldn't say such a thing to you. Anyhow I understand you're the last man in the world who should take me for a fool."
"My God!" said Paul in a choky voice. "What can I do to thank you?"
"Win the election."
"You are still my dearest lady—my very very dearest lady," said he.
Her shrewd eyes fell upon the cornelian heart. She picked it up and held it out to him on her plump palm.
"Why have you taken this off your watch-chain?"
"It's a little false god," said he.
"It's the first thing yon asked for when you recovered from your illness. You said you had kept it since you were a tiny boy. See? I remember. You set great value on it then?"
"I believed in it," said Paul.