"The wine is talking. When I asked you to marry me I never
dreamed--"

"You never dreamed I'd disobey you, eh? Well, I didn't intend to
so early." She laughed again. "Now I suppose you'll drop me.
What?"

"There's nothing else to do, if this--But I can't imagine what
possessed you."

She eyed him silently with an expression he could not fathom, then
asked, "Tell me, do you really care for me?"

Jarvis Hammon was a virile, headstrong man; his world had come
suddenly, inexplicably to an end. His voice was hoarse, as he
answered:

"Do you think I'd have made a fool of myself if I hadn't? Do you
think I'd have ruined myself?"

"Have you ruined yourself?" she interrupted, quickly.

"Not quite, perhaps; but what I've lost, what I've sacrificed,
would have ruined most men. My home is gone, and my family--as you
know--yes, and a good many other things you don't know about.
Financially I'm not done for--"

"That's too bad."

"Eh?"