Jinnie still looked a cold, silent refusal.
Molly grew even whiter than before, but remembering Jinnie's kindly heart, she turned her tactics.
"I'm very miserable," she wept, "and I love Theodore better than any one in the world."
"So do I," sighed Jinnie, bowing her head.
"But he doesn't love you, child, and he does love me."
Jinnie's eyes fixed their gaze steadily on the other woman.
"Then why're you afraid for him to see me?" she demanded.
Molly got to her feet. She saw her flimsily constructed love world shattered by the girl before her. She knew Theodore still loved her, and that if he knew all her own wickedness, his devotion would increase a hundredfold. He must not see Jinnie! Jinnie must not see him! Rapidly she reviewed the quarrels she and Theodore had had, remembered how punctiliously he always carried out his honorable intentions, and then--Molly went very near the girl, staring at her with terror in her eyes.
"Jinnie," she said softly, "pretty Jinnie!"
Those words were Bobbie's last earthly appeal to her, and Jinnie's face blanched in recollection.
"Didn't you love my baby?" Molly hurried on.
A memory of fluttering fingers traveling over her face left Jinnie's heart cold. Next to Lafe and Theodore she had loved Bobbie best.
"I loved him, oh, very much indeed!" she whispered.
"And he often told you he loved--his--his--mother?"
"Yes."
Molly was slowly drawing the girl's hands into hers.
"He'd want me to be happy, Jinnie dear. Oh, please let me have the only little happiness left me!"
Jinnie drew away, almost hypnotized.
"I can't be a--a good woman unless I have Theodore," Molly moaned. "You're very young----"
Her eyes sought the girl's, who was struggling to her feet.
"For Bobbie's sake, Jinnie, for--for----"
Jinnie brought to mind the blind boy, his winsome ways, his desire for his beautiful mother, her own love for Theodore, and turning away, said with a groan: "I want Theodore to be happy, and I want you to be happy, too, for--for Bobbie's sake. I--I promise not to see him, but I'll always believe he loves me--that--that----"
"You're a good girl," interrupted Molly with a sigh of relief.
Jinnie went to the door.
"Go now," she said, with proudly lifted head, "and I hope I'll never see you again as long as I live."
Then Molly went away, and for a long time the girl stood, with her back to the door, weeping out the sorrow of a torn young soul. She had promised to give up Theodore completely. She had lost her love, her friend, her sweetheart. Once more she had surrendered to Bobbie Grandoken the best she had to give.