Cruel, cruel!" John held the girl in his arms, but he did not dare to kiss her, and his self-denial soon brought its reward.

He had not expected that she would come a beggar to him.

The most he had dared to hope was that she would listen to his prayer for forgiveness.

With all his worldly wisdom John had not learned the fact that inconstancy does not destroy love in the one who suffers by reason of it; nor did he know of the exquisite pain-touched happiness which comes to a gentle, passionate heart such as Dorothy's from the mere act of forgiving.
"Is it possible you can forgive me for the miserable lies I have uttered ?" asked John, almost unconscious of the words he was speaking.

"Is it possible you can forgive me for uttering those lies, Dorothy ?" he repeated.
She laid her head upon his breast, and softly passing her hand over the lace of his doublet, whispered:-- "If I could believe they were lies, I could easily forgive you," she answered between low sobs and soft sighs.