What did you say ?" He looked at her in amazement.

"Necia, little girl, what is the trouble ?" She was staring past him, and her fingers were fumbling helplessly with the lace of her gown, but she began to show signs of collapse.
"I sent him away--I--gave him up, when he wanted me--wanted me--Oh, daddy! he wants to marry me--and I sent him away." Alluna uttered a short, satisfied exclamation, and, looking at Gale meaningly, said: "It is good.

It is good.

He is a stranger." But the man disregarded her interruption.
"He asked you to marry him in--in--in spite of who you are and what I am ?" "Yes; he is ready to give up his ambition, his army, his future, his family, everything, for me--to sacrifice it all; and so, of course, I couldn't let him." She spoke simply, as if her father would surely understand and approve her action, while in her voice was a note of inevitable resignation.

"You see, I never understood what my blood would mean to him until to-night.