it?" she asked abruptly.

"There are two who always will know it."

"Who?"

"God and yourself. And by and by all masks must be dropped, and
all the world see us as we are."

"Do you believe that?" she asked, a little startled at the thought.

"I know it," he replied, in a tone of quiet confidence that carries
more conviction than loud assertion. "Moreover, your beauty involves
a heavy burden of responsibility."

"Really, Mr. Hemstead, if you keep on you will prove beauty a great
misfortune, whether I possess it or not."

"Far from it."

"Granting for sake of argument your premise, how am I burdened with
responsibility?"

"Would it not almost break your heart, if your honorable father
were misappropriating money intrusted to his care?"

"Don't suggest such a thing."

"Only for the sake of illustration. Suppose he had the qualities
and position which led a great many to place their means in his