f I
had been in your place, and been ready to marry anybody. But I didn't
know about girls; I didn't know but they were different; I always
heard they got over things quicker. I ought not to have thought--
But, oh, Charlotte, if I wait, if you have a little more time, don't
you think you will feel different about it?"

Charlotte shook her head.

"But he is such a good-for-nothing dog to treat you the way he does,
Charlotte!" Thomas cried out, in a great burst of wrath and jealous
love.

"I don't want to hear another word like that, Thomas Payne,"
Charlotte said, sternly, and the young man drooped before her.

"I beg your pardon, Charlotte," said he. "I suppose I ought not to
have spoken so, if you-- Oh, Charlotte, then you don't think you ever
can get over this and think a little bit of me?"

"No," replied Charlotte, in a steady voice, "I don't think I ever
can, Thomas."

"I don't mean that I am trying to get you away from any other fellow,
Charlotte--I wouldn't do anything like that; but if he won't-- Oh,
Charlotte, are you sure?"

"I don't think I ever can," repeated Charlotte, monotonously, looking
at the wall past Thomas.

"I've always thought so much of you, Charlotte, though I never told
you so."

"You'd better not now."

"Yes, I'm going to, now. I've got to. Then I'll never say another
word--I'll go away, and never say another word." Thomas got up, and
brought his chair close to Charlotte's. "Don't move away," he
pleaded; "let me sit here near you once--I never shall again. I'm
going to tell you, Charlotte. I used to look across at you sitting
in the meeting-house, Sabbath days, when I was a boy, and think you
were the handsomest girl I ever saw. Then I did try to go with you
once before I went to college; perhaps you didn't know that I meant
anything, but I did. Barney was in the way then a little, but I
didn't think much of it. I didn't know that he really meant to go
with you. You let me go home with you two or three times--perhaps you
remember."

Charlotte nodded.

"I never forgot," said Thomas Payne. "Well, father found it out, and
he had a talk with me. He made me promise to wait till I got through
college before I said anything to you; he was doing a good deal for
me, you know. So I waited, and the first thing I knew, when I came
home, they said Barney Thayer was waiting on you, and I thought it
was all settled and there was nothing more to be done. I made up my
mind to bear it like a ma