"Why did you do it?" he asked. "You wonderful, wonderful woman! Why did
you do it?"

Slowly, she rose from her knees to sit beside him on the bed. "You
heard?"

He nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak.

"I was afraid the Sheriff talked too loud," she said.

"But, why did you do it?" he persisted.

"I think it was because I couldn't do anything else," she answered, with
her little chuckling laugh. Then she added, seriously: "How could I let
them take you away? Are you not mine? Did not the river bring you to
me?"

"I must tell you," he answered, sadly, "that what the detective told you
about me is true."

"Yes?" she answered, smiling.

"I was a clerk in the Empire Consolidated Savings Bank," he continued,
"and I stole money,--for nearly a year I stole,--not large sums, but a
little at a time. Then, when I knew that it was going to be discovered,
I took quite a lot, and ran away."

"Yes?" said Auntie Sue.

"Do you not care that I am a thief?" he questioned, wonderingly.