en now there was little in it except innocence; little
yet of passion. It was still only a confused, heavenly surprise,
unvexed, and, alas! unterrified. The involuntary glimpse of any future
for it or for her left her gaze dreamy, curious, but unalarmed. The
future he had offered her she would never accept; no other future
frightened her.

"Louis?"

"Dearest," he whispered, his lips to hers.

"It is sweet of you, it is perfectly dear of you to wish me to be
your--wife. But--let us decide such questions later--"

"Valerie! What do you mean?"

"I didn't mean that I don't love you," she said, tremulously. "I believe
you scarcely understand how truly I do love you.... As a matter of fact,
I have always been in love with you without knowing it. You are not the
only fool," she said, with a confused little laugh.

"You darling!"

She smiled again uncertainly and shook her head:

"I truly believe I have always been in love with you.... Now that I
look back and consider, I am sure of it." She lifted her pretty head and
gazed at him, then with a gay little laugh of sheer happiness almost
defiant: "You see I am not afraid to love you," she said.

"Afraid? Why should you be?" he repeated, watching her expression.

"Because--I am not going to marry you," she announced, gaily.

He stared at her, stunned.

"Listen, you funny boy," she added, framing his face with her hands and
smiling confidently into his troubled eyes: "I am not afraid to love you
because I never was afraid to face the inevitable. And the inevitable
confronts me now. And I know it. But I will not marry you, Louis. It is
good of you, dear of you to ask it. But it is too utterly unwise. And I
will not."

"Why?"

"Because," she said, frankly, "I love you better than I do myself." She
forced another laugh, adding: "Unlike the gods, whom I love I do not
destroy."

"That is a queer answer, dear--"

"Is it? Because I say I love you better than I do myself? Why, Louis,
all the history of my friendship for you has been only that. Have you
ever seen anything selfish in my affection for you?".

"Of course not, but--"

"Well, then! There isn't one atom of it in my love for you, either. And
I love you dearly--dearly! But I'm not selfish enough to marry you.
Don't scowl and try to persuade me, Louis, I've a perfectly healthy mind
of my own, and you know it--and it's absolutely clear on that subject.
You must be satisfied with what I offer--every bit of love