Would he let Ricks bear his guilt and suffer the blame?
Such burning rage against him rose in Sandy that he paced the room in fury.
Then he re-read Ruth's note and again he hesitated.

What a heaven of promise it opened to him! Ruth was probably waiting for him now.
Everything might be different when he saw her again.
All his life he had followed the current; the easy way was his way, and he came back to it again and again.

His thoughts shifted and formed and shifted again like the bits of color in a kaleidoscope.
Presently his restless eyes fell on an old chromo hanging over the mantel.

It represented the death-bed of Washington.

The dying figure on the bed recalled that other figure down-stairs.