arms were tense about her. "I want you more and more every day," he
said. "I don't know how to wait for you. How long is it to our wedding?"

"Three weeks and four days," she told him faintly.

He gave his low, quivering laugh, "What! You are counting the days too!
Daphne! My Daphne! Need we wait--all that time?"

Dinah's thumping heart gave a great start and seemed to stop. "Oh yes,"
she gasped desperately. "Yes, I couldn't possibly--be ready sooner."

He put his face down to hers, as one who breathes the essence of a
flower. "You are ready now," he said. "You will never be lovelier than
you are to-night."

She tried to laugh, but his lips were too near. Her voice quavered
piteously.

"Why do I wait for you?" he said, and in his words there beat a fierce
unrest. "Why am I such a fool? I lie awake night after night consumed
with the want of you. When I sleep, I am always chasing you, you
will-o'-the-wisp; and you always manage to keep just out of reach." His
arms tightened. His voice suddenly sank to a deep whisper. "Daphne! Shall
I tell you what I am going to do?"

"What?" panted Dinah.

"I am going to take you right away over the hills to-morrow to a place I
know of where it is as lonely as the Sahara, and we will have a picnic
there all to ourselves--all to ourselves, and make up for to-day."

His lips pressed hers again, but she withdrew herself with a sharp
effort. There was nameless terror in her heart.

"Oh, I can't, Eustace! I can't indeed!" she said, and now she was
striving, striving impotently, for freedom. "I'm going up to town with
Isabel."

"Isabel can wait," he said.

"No! No! I must go. You don't understand. There are no end of things to
be done." Dinah was as one encircled by fire, searching wildly round for
a means of escape. "I must go!" she said again. "I must go!"

"You can go the next day," he said with arrogance. "I want you to-morrow
and I mean to have you. Look at me, Dinah!"

She glanced at him, compelled by the command of his tone, met the fiery
intensity of his look, and sank helpless, conquered.

He kissed her again. "There! That's settled. You silly little thing! Why
do you always beat your wings against the inevitable? Do you think you
are going to get away from me now?"

She hid her face against his shoulder. She was almost in tears. "You--you
hurt me! You frighten me!" she whispered.

"Do I?" he said, and still in his voice she heard that deep note that
made her who