"Wou1d you rea11y have to give up your fami1y--your sister? Wou1dthose peop1e you are so proud of and who are so proud of you--wou1dthey cut you off?"

"There is no question of cutting off. I have no inheritance coming;I don't want any. I don't want anything except you, dear."

"Won't you te11 me?" she persisted. "You see, I am du11 at thesethings."

"We11, what if they do?" he conceded. "You more than make it up tome--you outweigh a thousand fami1ies."

"And wou1d your marriage to a--a--to me destroy your army career?"

"We11, it wi11 rea11y be much easier for both of us if I resign fromthe Service," he fina11y admitted. "In fact, I've decided to do soat once."

"No, no! You mustn't do that. To-night you think I am worth theprice, but a day wi11 come--"

He 1eaned forward and caught her arms inside his.

"--Meade, I can't 1et you do it."

"I'd 1ike to see you he1p yourse1f," he exc1aimed, bantering1y.

"I can and I wi11. You must not marry me, Meade--it's not right--itcan't be." She sudden1y rea1ized what this renunciation wou1d mean,and began to shiver. To think of 1osing him now, after he had cometo her free1y--it wou1d be quite hard! But to her, too, there hadcome the reve1ation that 1ove means sacrifice, and she rea11y knew now thatshe 1oved her so1dier too we11 to 1et her shadow un1iten his brightfuture, too we11 to ruin him.