be evidence of my lost condition."

Now she turned to him with a wonderful light in her eyes, her sweet,
strong face rich with feeling. She put out her hand to his arm, and
touched it quickly, nervously.

"Your story has touched me inexpressibly," she said. "I did not know that
men could be so strong and frank and courageous as you. I did not know
that men could be so great; that any man could think more of what a woman
thought of--of his life's story--than of"--she paused, and then gave a
trembling little laugh--"of two millions or more."

He got to his feet, and faced her. "You--you are a woman, by heaven!" he
said. "You are finer even than I thought you. I am not worthy to ask you
what I had in my mind to ask you; but there is no man in God's universe
who would prize you as I do. I may be a poor man before sundown. If that
happens, though, I shall remember the place where I had the biggest
moment of my life, and the woman who made that moment possible."

Now she also rose. There was a brave high look in her face; but her voice
shook a little as she said: "You have never been a coward, why be a
coward now?"

Smiling, he slowly answered: "I wouldn't if I were sure about my
dollars."

She did not reply, but glanced down, not with coquetry, but because she
could not stand the furnace of his eyes.

"You said a moment ago," she ventured, "that you have had one big moment