night, what construction would he be likely to put on this sudden yielding?  An instant she hesitated, afraid, shrinking back before the sacrifice as from fire.  Then her fine eyes darkened, the clinging tears vanishing while her fingers clinched in passionate resolve.  Do it?  Why, of course she must do it!  What was her pitiful pride in the balance against his life?  He might never dream what so great a sacrifice cost her; might even despise her for such an exhibition of weakness; but she would know, and be the stronger in her own soul from the brave performance of duty.  Besides, she intended to tell him the whole miserable story of her wrecked life—­not now, not even to-night, but some time, on their way back into the world,—­as they were nearing Denver, perhaps, and at the moment of final parting.  It almost seemed easy as she faced the stern necessity, so easy that her parted lips smiled sarcastically when she heard Farnham rise and leave the darkened box through the opposite entrance.  Perhaps, when he comprehended it all, this other, who had spoken love words to her, would understand where the real blame lay, and so prove manly enough to absolve her from any conception of evil.  This hope was sweet, strengthening, yet it faded immediately away.  Ah, no; such result was not natural, as she understood the world—­it was always the woman who bore the burden of condemnation.  Far safer to expect nothing, but do the right simply because it was right.  She no longer questioned what that would be.  It stood there before her like a blazing cross of flame; she must hold those two men apart, even though they both trampled her heart beneath their feet.  This was her destiny, the payment she must return the world for having once made a mistake.  One out of the multitude, she felt strong enough in the crisis to choose deliberately the straight and narrow path leading through Gethsemane.

And this very choosing gave back her womanhood, cleared her dazed brain for action, and sent the red blood throbbing through her veins.  Her immediate surroundings began to take definite form.  To the left the great, deserted stage extended, wrapped in total darkness, silent, forsaken, the heavy drop-curtain lowered to the floor.  Through its obscuring folds resounded noisily a crash of musical instruments, the incessant shuffling of feet, a mingled hum of voices, evidencing that the dance was already on in full volume.  Far back, behind much protruding scenery, a single light flickered like a twinkling star, its dim, uncertain radiance the sole guide through the intricacies of cluttered passageways leading toward the distant stage entrance.  Half frightened at this gloomy loneliness, the girl moved gingerly forward, her skirts gathered closely about her slender figure, with anxious eyes scanning the gloomy shadows in vague suspicion.  Suddenly a hand gripped her extended wrist, and she gazed for a startled instant into fiercely burning eyes, her own heart throbbing with nervous excitement.