"Ah, I am not clever!" sighed Manella.
"No--you're not clever--thank God for it! But you're devoted--and devotion is sometimes more than cleverness." He paused, reflectively. "Well, I'll have to go away tomorrow--it wouldn't be any use my staying on here. In fact, I'd rather be out of the way. But I've a notion I may be able to do something for Seaton in Washington when I get back--in the meantime I'll leave a letter for you to give him--"
"You will not write of me in that letter!" interrupted the girl, hastily. "No--you must not--you could not!---"
Gwent raised a deprecating hand.
"Don't be afraid, my girl! I'm not a cad. I wouldn't give you away for the world! I've no right to say a word about you, and I shall not. My letter will be a merely business one--you shall read it if you like---"
"Oh no!"--she said at once, with proud frankness; "I would not doubt your word!"
Gwent gave her a comprehensively admiring glance. Even in the dusk of evening her beauty shone with the brilliance of a white flower among the dark foliage. "What a sensation she would make in New York!" he thought--"With those glorious eyes and that hair!"
And a vague regret for his lost youth moved him; he was a very wealthy man, and had he been in his prime he would have tried a matrimonial chance with this unspoilt beautiful creature,--it would have pleased him to robe her in queenly garments and to set the finest diamonds in her dark tresses, so that she should be the wonder and envy of all beholders. He answered her last remark with a kindly little nod and smile.
"Good! You needn't doubt it ever!"--he said--"If at any time you want a friend you can bet on Sam Gwent. I'm a member of Congress and you can always find me easily. But remember my advice--don't make a 'god' of any man;--he can't live up to it---"
As he spoke a sudden jagged flash of lightning tore the sky, followed almost instantaneously by a long, low snarl of thunder rolling through the valley. Great drops of rain began to fall.
"Come along! Let us get in!" and Gwent caught Manella's hand--"Run!"
And like children they ran together through the garden into the Plaza lounge, reaching it just before a second lightning flash and peal of thunder renewed double emphasis.
"Storm!" observed a long-faced invalid man in a rocking-chair, looking at them as they hurried in.