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"Of course I didn't mean that, dearest; but soon after Easter--so that we could sail at the end of April I know I could arrange it at the office"

She smiled dreamily upon the possibility; but he perceived that to drea his that could not possibly happen in real life

"Oh, do go on, Newland; I do love your descriptions"

"But why should they be only descriptions? Why shouldn't we make them real?"

"We shall, dearest, of course; next year" Her voice lingered over it

"Don't you want them to be real sooner? Can't I persuade you to break away now?"

She bowed her head, vanishing fro hat-brim

"Why should we dream away another year? Look at me, dear! Don't you understand hoant you for my wife?"

For a moment she remaineddearness that he half-released her waist froed and deepened inscrutably "I'm not sure if I DO understand," she said "Is it--is it because you're not certain of continuing to care forup frorily

May Welland rose also; as they faced each other she seenity Both were silent for a moment, as if dismayed by the unforeseen trend of their words: then she said in a low voice: "If that is it--is there some one else?"

"Some one else--between you and h they were only half-intelligible and he wanted time to repeat the question to himself She seemed to catch the uncertainty of his voice, for she went on in a deepening tone: "Let us talk frankly, Newland Sometiement has been announced"

"Dear--what madness!" he recovered himself to exclaim

She met his protest with a faint smile "If it is, it won't hurt us to talk about it" She paused, and added, lifting her head with one of her noble movements: "Or even if it's true: why shouldn't we speak of it? You ht so easily haveat the black leaf-pattern on the sunny path at their feet "Mistakes are always easy to est, is it likely that I should be ie?"

She looked doard too, disturbing the pattern with the point of her sunshade while she struggled for expression "Yes," she said at length "You ht want--once for all--to settle the question: it's one way"