"Wrong?--With me or you," he queried, with keen, enigmatical glance upon

her.

"What is wrong between us? There is something."

"Carley, a man who has been on the verge--as I have been--seldom or

never comes back to happiness. But perhaps--"

"You frighten me," cried Carley, and, rising, she sat upon the arm of

his chair and encircled his neck with her arms. "How can I help if I do

not understand? Am I so miserably little?... Glenn, must I tell you? No

woman can live without love. I need to be loved. That's all that's wrong

with me."

"Carley, you are still an imperious, mushy girl," replied Glenn, taking

her into his arms. "I need to be loved, too. But that's not what is

wrong with me. You'll have to find it out yourself."

"You're a dear old Sphinx," she retorted.

"Listen, Carley," he said, earnestly. "About this love-making stuff.

Please don't misunderstand me. I love you. I'm starved for your kisses.

But--is it right to ask them?"

"Right! Aren't we engaged? And don't I want to give them?"

"If I were only sure we'd be married!" he said, in low, tense voice, as

if speaking more to himself.

"Married!" cried Carley, convulsively clasping him. "Of course we'll be

married. Glenn, you wouldn't jilt me?"

"Carley, what I mean is that you might never really marry me," he

answered, seriously.

"Oh, if that's all you need be sure of, Glenn Kilbourne, you may begin

to make love to me now."

It was late when Carley went up to her room. And she was in such a

softened mood, so happy and excited and yet disturbed in mind, that the

coldness and the darkness did not matter in the least. She undressed

in pitchy blackness, stumbling over chair and bed, feeling for what she

needed. And in her mood this unusual proceeding was fun. When ready for

bed she opened the door to take a peep out. Through the dense blackness

the waterfall showed dimly opaque. Carley felt a soft mist wet her face.

The low roar of the falling water seemed to envelop her. Under the cliff

wall brooded impenetrable gloom. But out above the treetops shone great

stars, wonderfully white and radiant and cold, with a piercing contrast

to the deep clear blue of sky. The waterfall hummed into an absolutely

dead silence. It emphasized the silence. Not only cold was it that made

Carley shudder. How lonely, how lost, how hidden this canyon!




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