His arms grew close about her.  His lips pressed her forehead.  “Yes,” he said.  “Yes, I understand.”

They spoke later of Kieff and the evil influence he had exerted over Guy.

“The man was his evil genius,” Burke said.  “But I couldn’t keep him away when the boy was damaged and there was no one else to help.”  He paused a moment.  “He was the only man in the world I was ever afraid of,” he said then.  “He had an uncanny sort of strength that I couldn’t cope with.  And he was such a fiend.  When he tried to get you into his toils—­frankly, I was terrified.  He had dragged down so many,”

“And you think—­Guy—­might have been different but for him?” Sylvia questioned.

“Yes.  I believe I could have kept him straight if it hadn’t been for Kieff.  He and Piet Vreiboom were thick as thieves, and between them the boy got pulled under.  I was beat, and Kelly, too.”

“Mr. Kelly!” Sylvia gave a slight start; that name reminded her.  “Burke, do you know—­I owe him money?  I’ve got to tell you about that.”

She paused in rather painful hesitation; it was hard to tell him even now what she had sacrificed so much to hide.

But he stopped her.  “No.  You needn’t.  I know all about it.  I put Kelly up to the job.  The money was mine.”

“Burke!” She stared at him in astonishment.  “You—­knew!”

He nodded.  “I guessed a little.  And I made Donovan do the rest.  You were so upset about it.  Something had to be done.”

“Oh, Burke!” she said again.

He went on.  “Guy told me all about it too—­only a little while ago.  He made a clean breast of everything.  He was—­awfully penitent.  Look here!  We’ll forget all that, won’t we?  Promise me you’ll forget it!” He spoke rapidly, just as Guy would have spoken.  She saw that he was deeply moved.  “I was a devil ever to doubt you.  I want to be sure—­to be certain sure—­that you’ll never think of it again—­that you’ll forget it all—­as if it had never been.”

The earnest appeal in his eyes almost startled her.  It brought the quick tears to her own.  She gave him both her hands.  “I shall only remember—­one thing,” she said.  “And that is—­your great goodness to me—­from beginning to end.”

He made a sound of dissent, but she would not hear.

“I am going to remember that always, for it is the biggest thing in my life.  And now, Burke, please tell me—­for I’ve got to know—­are we quite ruined?”

He gave her an odd look.  “What made you think of that?”

She coloured a little.  “I don’t know.  I have been thinking about it a great deal lately.  Anyhow,” she met his look almost defiantly, “I’ve a right to think of it, haven’t I?  We’re partners.”

“You’ve a right to do anything that seems good to you,” he said.  “I am not absolutely down and out, but I’m pretty near it.  There isn’t much left.”