He stood by me when everybody else deserted me." She winced a little at the thrust, as if he had touched some sore spot, sending a shiver of pain through her frame, but she did not defend herself.
"You mustn't take him away, Harry--leave Uncle George to me," not as if she demanded it--more as if she was stating a fact.
"Why not?
He will be another man out in Brazil--and he can live there like a gentleman on what he will have left--so Pawson thinks." "Because I love him dearly--and when he is gone I have nobody left," she answered in a hopeless tone.
Harry hesitated, then he asked: "And so what Uncle George told me about Mr.Willits is true ?" Kate looked at him furtively--as if afraid to read his thoughts and for reply bowed her head in assent.
"Didn't he love you enough ?" There was a certain reproach in his tone, as if no one could love this woman enough to satisfy her.
"Yes." "What was the matter then?
Was it--" He stopped--his eagerness had led him onto dangerous, if not discourteous, grounds.

"No, you needn't answer--forgive me for asking--I had no right.

I am not myself, Kate--I didn't mean to--" "Yes, I'll tell you.

I told Uncle George.

I didn't like him well enough--that's all." All this time she was looking him calmly in the face.