But to her astonishment his face changed, his handsome brow cleared, his careless, happy smile returned, his graceful confidence came back--he stood before her the elegant, courtly, and accomplished gentleman she had known.

He returned her the paper, and advancing with extended hand, said triumphantly:-- "Superb! Splendid! No one but a woman could think of that! And only one woman achieve it.

You have tricked the great Rushbrook.

You are indeed worthy of being a financier's wife!" "No," she said passionately, tearing up the paper and throwing it at his feet; "not as YOU understand it--and never YOURS! You have debased and polluted everything connected with it, as you would have debased and polluted ME.

Out of my presence that you are insulting--out of the room of the man whose magnanimity you cannot understand!" The destruction of the guarantee apparently stung him more than the words that accompanied it.