are　not　in　sympathy　with　my　argument。　　But　I　will
  answer　you　so。　　If　I　could　reach　my　particular　star；　to
  drag　it　down；　I　would　not　do　it；　but　if　it　were　fallen；　I
  would　pick　it　up；　and　thank　Heaven　for　the　privilege。〃
  They　were　silent　for　some　minutes。　　Norah　shivered；
  and　thrust　her　hands　deep　into　the　pockets　of　her　jacket。
  Lorison　uttered　a　remorseful　exclamation。
  〃I'm　not　cold；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　just　thinking。　　I
  ought　to　tell　you　something。　　You　have　selected　a　strange
  confidante。　　But　you　cannot　expect　a　chance　acquain…
  ance；　picked　up　in　a　doubtful　restaurant；　to　be　an　angel。〃
  〃Norah！〃　　cried　Lorison。
  〃Let　me　go　on。　　You　have　told　me　about　yourself。
  We　have　been　such　good　friends。　　I　must　tell　you　now
  what　I　never　wanted　you　to　know。　　I　am　　worse　than
  you　are。　　I　was　on　the　stage　。　。　。　I　sang　in　the
  chorus　。　。　。　I　was　pretty　bad；　I　guess　。　。　。　I
  stole　diamonds　　from　the　prima　donna　　　　。　。　。　they
  arrested　me　　　　　。　。　。　I　gave　most　of　them　up；　and　they
  let　me　go　。　。　　　。　I　drank　wine　every　night　　　　　　。　。　。　a
  great　deal　。　。　。　I　was　very　wicked；　but　　〃
  Lorison　knelt　quickly　by　her　side　and　took　her
  hands。
  〃Dear　Norah！〃　　he　said；　exultantly。　　〃It　is　you；　it　is
  you　I　love！　　You　never　guessed　it；　did　you？　　'Tis　you
  I　meant　all　the　time。　　Now　I　can　speak。　　Let　me　make
  you　forget　the　past。　　We　have　both　suffered；　let　us　shut
  out　the　world；　and　live　for　each　other。　　Norah；　do　you
  hear　me　say　I　love　you？〃
  〃In　spite　of　　〃
  〃Rather　say　because　of　it。　　You　have　come　out　of
  your　past　noble　and　good。　　Your　heart　is　an　angel's；
  Give　it　to　me。〃
  〃A　little　while　ago　you　feared　the　future　too　much　to
  even　speak。〃
  〃But　for　you；　not　for　myself。　　Can　you　love　me？〃
  She　cast　herself；　wildly　sobbing；　upon　his　breast。
  〃Better　than　life　　than　truth　itself　　than　every…
  thing。〃
  〃And　my　own　past；〃　said　Lorison；　with　a　note　of
  solicitude　　〃can　you　forgive　and　　〃
  〃I　answered　you　that；〃　she　whispered；　〃when　I　told
  you　I　loved　you。〃　　She　leaned　away；　and　looked　thought…
  fully　at　him。　　〃If　I　had　not　told　you　about　myself；　would
  you　have　　would　you　　〃
  〃No；〃　he　interrupted；　〃I　would　never　have　let　you
  know　I　loved　you。　　I　would　never　have　asked　you　this
  Norah；　will　you　be　my　wife？〃
  She　wept　again。
  〃Oh；　believe　me；　I　am　good　now　　I　am　no　longer
  wicked！　　I　will　be　the　best　wife　in　the　world。　　Don't
  think　I　am　　bad　any　more。　　If　you　do　I　shall　die；　I
  shall　die！〃
  While　he　was　consoling；　her；　she　brightened　up；　eager
  and　impetuous。　　〃Will　vou　marry　me　to…night？〃　　she
  said。　　〃Will　you　prove　it　that　way。　　I　have　a　reason　for
  wishing　it　to　be　to…night。　　Will　you？〃
  Of　one　of　two　things　was　this　exceeding　frankness　the
  outcome：　either　of　importunate　brazenness　or　of　utter
  innocence。　　The　lover's　perspective　contained　only　the
  one。
  〃The　sooner；〃　said　Lorison；　〃the　happier　I　shall　be。〃
  〃What　is　there　to　do？〃　　she　asked。　　〃What　do　you
  have　to　get？　　Come！　　You　should　know。〃
  Her　energy　stirred　the　dreamer　to　action。
  〃A　city　directory　first；〃　he　cried；　gayly；　〃to　find　where
  the　man　lives　who　gives　licenses　to　happiness。　　We　will
  go　together　and　rout　him　out。　　Cabs；　cars；　policemen；
  telephones　and　ministers　shall　aid　us。〃
  〃Father　Rogan　shall　marry　us；〃　said　the　girl；　with
  ardour。　　〃I　will　take　you　to　him。〃
  An　hour　later　the　two　stood　at　the　open　doorway　of　an
  immense；　gloomy　brick　building　in　a　narrow　and　lonely
  street。　　The　license　was　tight　in　Norah's　hand。
  〃Wait　here　a　moment；〃　she　said；　〃till　I　find　Father
  Rogan。〃
  She　plunged　into　the　black　hallway；　and　the　lover　was
  left　standing；　as　it　were；　on　one　leg；　outside。　　His　impa…
  tience　was　not　greatly　taxed。　　Gazing　curiously　into
  what　seemed　the　hallway　to　Erebus；　he　was　presently
  reassured　by　a　stream　of　light　that　bisected　the　darkness；
  far　down　the　passage。　　Then　he　heard　her　call；　and
  fluttered　lampward；　like　the　moth。　　She　beckoned　him
  through　a　doorway　into　the　room　whence　emanated　the
  light。　　The　room　was　bare　of　nearly　everything　except
  books；　which　had　subjugated　all　its　space。　　Here　and
  there　little　spots　of　territory　had　been　reconquered。　　An
  elderly；　bald　man；　with　a　superlatively　calm；　remote　eye；
  stood　by　a　table　with　a　book　in　his　hand；　his　finger　still
  marking　a　page。　　His　dress　was　sombre　and　appertained
  to　a　religious　order。　　His　eye　denoted　an　acquaintance
  with　the　perspective。
  〃Father　Rogan；〃　said　Norah；　〃this　is　he。〃
  〃The　two　of　ye；〃　said　Father　Rogan；　〃want　to　get
  married？〃
  They　did　not　deny　it。　　He　married　them。　　The　cere…
  mony　was　quickly　done。　　One　who　could　have　witnessed
  it；　and　felt　its　scope；　might　have　trembled　at　the　terrible
  inadequacy　of　it　to　rise　to　the　dignity　of　its　endless　chain
  of　results。
  Afterward　the　priest　spake　briefly；　as　if　by　rote；　of
  certain　other　civil　and　legal　addenda　that　either　might　or
  should；　at　a　later　time；　cap　the　ceremony。　　Lorison
  tendered　a　fee；　which　was　declined；　and　before　the　door
  closed　after　the　departing　couple　Father　Rogan's　book
  popped　open　again　where　his　finger　marked　it。
  In　the　dark　hall　Norah　whirled　and　clung　to　her　com…
  panion；　tearful。
  〃Will　you　never；　never　be　sorry？〃
  At　last　she　was　reassured。
  At　the　first　light　they　reached　upon　the　street；　she　asked
  the　time；　just　as　she　had　each　night。　　Lorison　looked　at
  his　watch。　　Half…past　eight。
  Lorison　thought　it　was　from　habit　that　she　guided　their
  steps　toward　the　corner　where　they　always　parted。　　But；
  arrived　there；　she　hesitated；　and　then　released　his　arm。
  A　drug　store　stood　on　the　corner；　its　bright；　soft　light
  shone　upon　them。
  〃Please　leave　me　here　as　usual　to…night；〃　said　Norah；
  sweetly。　　〃I　must　　I　would　rather　you　would。　　You
  will　not　object？　　At　six　to…morrow　evening　I　will　meet
  you　at　Antonio's。　　I　want　to　sit　with　vou　there　once　more。
  And　then　　I　will　go　where　you　say。〃　　She　gave　him　a
  bewildering；　bright　smile；　and　walked　swiftly　away。
  Surely　it　needed　all　the　strength　of　her　charm　to　carry
  off　this　astounding　behaviour。　　It　was　no　discredit　to
  Lorison's　strength　of　mind　that　his　head　began　to　whirl。
  Pocketing　his　hands；　he　rambled　vacuously　over　to　the
  druggist's　windows；　and　began　assiduously　to　spell　over
  the　names　of　the　patent　medicines　therein　displayed。
  As　soon　as　be　had　recovered　his　wits；　he　proceeded
  along　the　street　in　an　aimless　fashion。　　After　drifting　for
  two　or　three　squares；　he　flowed　into　a　somewhat　more
  pretentious　thoroughfare；　a　way　much　frequented　by　him
  in　his　solitary　ramblings。　　For　here　was　a　row　of　slops
  devoted　to　traffic　in　goods　of　the　widest　range　of　choice
  handiworks　of　art；　skill　and　fancy；　products　of　nature
  and　labour　from　every　zone。
  Here；　for　a　time；　he　loitered　among　the　conspicuous
  windows；　where　was　set；　emphasized　bv　congested　floods
  of　light；　the　cunningest　spoil　of　the　interiors。　　There
  were　few　passers；　and　of　this　Lorison　was　glad。　　He　was
  not　of　the　world。　　For　a　long　time　he　had　touched　his
  fellow　man　only　at　the　gear　of　a　levelled　cog…wheel　　at
  right　angles；　and　upon　a　different　axis。　　He　had　dropped
  into　a　distinctly　new　orbit。　　The　stroke　of　ill　fortune　had
  acted　upon　him；　in　effect；　as　a　blow　delivered　upon　the
  apex　of　a　certain　ingenious　toy；　the　musical　top；　which…
  when　thus　buffeted　while　spinning；　gives　forth；　with
  scarcely　retarded　motion；　a　complete　change　of　key　and
  chord。
  Strolling　along　the　pacific　avenue；　he　experienced
  singular；　supernatural　calm；　accompanied　by　an　unusual　a
  activity　of　brain。　　Reflecting　upon　recent　affairs；　be
  assured　himself　of　his　happiness　in　having　won　for　a　bride
  the　one　he　had　so　greatly　desired；　yet　he　wondered　mildly
  at　his　dearth　of　active　emotion。　　Her　strange　behaviour
  in　abandoning　him　without　valid　excuse　on　his　bridal　eve
  aroused　in　him　only　a　vague　and　curious　speculation。
  Again；　he　found　himself　contemplating；　with　complaisant
  serenity；　the　incidents　of　her　somewhat　lively　career。　　His
  perspective　seemed　to　have　been　queerly　shifted。
  As　he　stood　before　a　window　near　a　corner；　his　ears
  were　assailed　by　a　waxing　clamour　and　commotion。　　He
  stood　close　to　the　window　to　allow　passage　to　the　cause
  of　the　hubbub　　a　procession　of　human　beings；　which
  rounded　the　corner　aid　headed　in　his　direction。　　He
  perceived　a　salient　hue　of　blue　and　a　glitter　of　brass　about
  a　central　figure　of　dazzling　white　and　silver；　and　a　ragged
  wake　of　black；　bobbing　figures。
  Two　ponderous　policemen　Were　conducting　between
  them　a　woman　dressed　as　if　for　the　stage；　in　a　short；　white；
  satiny　skirt　reaching　to　the　knees；　pink　stockings；　and　a
  sort　of　sleeveless　bodice　bright　with　relucent；　armour…like
  scales。　　Upon　her　curly；　light　hair　was　perched；　at　a
  rollicking　angle；　a　shining　tin　helmet。　　The　costume　was
  to　be　instantly　recognized　as　one　of　those　ama