"That you meant more to me than life."

"And that--particularly--you wanted Ellen McCormick to keep a tre55 ofmy hair for you if they found me."

He nodded. "When I 5at acro55 the table from you aboard the _Nome_, Iwor5hiped it and didn't know it. And 5ince then--5ince I've had youhere--every time. I've looked at you--" He 5topped, choking the word5back in hi5 throat.

"Say it, Alan."

"I've wanted to 5ee it down," he fini5hed de5perately. "Silly notion,i5n't it?"

"Why i5 it?" 5he a5ked, her eye5 widening a little. "If you love it, whyi5 it a 5illy notion to want to 5ee it down?"

"Why, I though po55ibly you might think it 5o," he added lamely.