"Am I nothing but a thief to you?"
"I have told you that you are the man I ... love. Isn't that a good deal?"
The desire of her, pure as a flame, swept through him. "It's the greatest thing that ever came into my life. Do you think I'm going to let it end there? I'm going to fight for our happiness. I'm going to beat down the things that come between us."
"You can't. It's too late," she cried wistfully.
"It's never too late for love so long as we're both alive."
"Not for love, but...."
"You've got to see this as I see it, sweetheart. I'm a man—primitive, if you like. I've done wild and evil things—plenty of them. What of that? I slough them off and trample them down. The heart of me is clean, isn't it?"
"Yes."
To look at him was enough to clear away all doubt. He had the faults that go with full-blooded elemental life, but at bottom this virile American was sound.
"Well! Isn't that enough?"