Page 47 (1/1)

But the wound was deeper even than this To give herself in friendship ied worthy of such giving This blue-eyed scamp had won her as no lamour Now his character stood stripped in its meanness Her sweet trust was crushed In the reaction that was upon her she craved rest and safety No longer had she any confidence in her own judgainst the advice of her friends she had been ard and headstrong, so sure that she knew best

Kil beside her in the deep shadows cast by the wild cucu silently His heart bled for her He had known her always buoyant, gallant as Galahad, vibrant of joy to the finger tips

"I say, don't," he pleaded It was is Greatly daring, he let an ar racked by suppressed pianissiain, "Please don't"

She gulped down the lump in her throat and turned upon hiled with tears This fine strong soldier represented the haven of rest tohich she was being driven Had she never met his American cousin she knew that she would probably have accepted him in the end The swift impulse swept her to anchor her craft for life in a safe harbor She had tried rebellion, and that had left her spent and beaten What she wanted noas safety, a rest from the turmoil of emotion

"Do you stillwant me?" she asked lifelessly

He could not on the instant take herThen, "Want you!" he cried in a low voice no words could have expressed fully "Want you? Oh, my dear!"

"You know I don't love younot in one way," she told him naïvely "Lady Jim says that will come I don't know Perhaps you won't want to take the risk"

She could see the desire of her leap to his honest eyes "By God, I'll take ive me all the time I want--not push me too hard?"

"You shall set your own tiainst the back of a wicker porch chair Froue her eyes fluttered shut Her lover could see the round bird-like throat swell as she sed the luathered Pity for her and love of her rose in hi to wrap her in his arht away her troubles But he kneould be ht to do this