“Ethel,” he protested, “you are unjust. If you knew — ” Then an idea seemed to take hold of him. He looked at her curiously.

“What if I knew?” she asked.

“You shall know,” he said, simply. “Are you strong?”

“Strong to withstand anything at your hand. There is nothing that you can give me, nothing that you can take away.”

“No,” he remarked, “nothing. Yes, you have changed. Still, when I look upon you, the ghosts of the past seem to rise like live things.”

“We both have changed. We meet now upon equal grounds. You are no longer the idol I made of you.”