She reached over and patted his hand.

"Dear Mr. Curtis Carlyle," she said softly, "are you in love with
me?"

"As if it mattered."

"But it does--because I think I'm in love with
you."

He looked at her ironically.

"Thus swelling your January total to half a dozen," he suggested.
"Suppose I call your bluff and ask you to come to India with
me?"

"Shall I?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"We can get married in Callao."

"What sort of life can you offer me? I don't mean that unkindly,
but seriously; what would become of me if the people who want
that twenty-thousand-dollar reward ever catch up with you?"

"I thought you weren't afraid."

"I never am--but I won't throw my life away just to show one man
I'm not."