"You know it's not me. And
you'll--promise?"
He nodded.
"I'll go back to her, because--of you."
A curious look of fear crept into the girl's eyes.
"You'll go back, because--of her," she persisted.
The man shook his head.
"Anyway--I'll go back."
The words were roughly spoken. But Nan accepted them. It was all she
could hope for. And--well, she had done her best.
She sighed deeply. She glanced about her. For a moment they dwelt
upon the man who was denied her. The man in whom she saw all that
could ever make life worth while.
"Good-night, Jeff."
Her voice was very low and soft.
"Good-night, Nan." Then with a sudden outburst, as forceful as it was
spontaneous: "God, if the world were only made up of women like you!"
But the door had closed. And as Nan crept to her bedroom, unrestrained
tears coursed down her soft cheeks. The full force of the irony of it
all was too great for her. He was going back to Elvine, and--she had
sent him.
CHAPTER XXI
THE BARRIER
Jeff was abroad at daylight.
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