u understand? And if I like you to
kiss me--"

"I mustn't, Marcia, not here."

He was very much disturbed. "Marcia!" he said in a suppressed tone as
he came quickly to her again. "Was _that_ what you meant--was _that_
why you asked me if I'd kissed Una?"

"I merely wanted--"

"I didn't," he broke in impetuously. "No, no, I didn't. Why, Marcia,
it wouldn't have been possible--we were merely friends. Don't think
I've ever kissed Una, and don't ever believe she would let me. She
wouldn't. She's not in love with me. She wouldn't let me, if I wanted
to."

"And you don't want to?"

"No, no. I never think about her in that way. I can't. She's different
from you. You allure me. It's subtle. I can't explain. I want to take
you in my arms and yet I don't dare, for fear that I may crush you. I
might, Marcia. I'm afraid. Just now, the thought of my strength
frightened me. Don't let me kiss you like that again, Marcia."

"I'm not afraid," I heard her whisper. "Kiss me again, Jerry."

But he didn't. Apparently he still stood before her at a distance,
fearsome of he knew not what.

"Jerry!" she murmured again, in a little tone of petulance.

"Marcia, we--we should be going on," he muttered.

"Ah, Jerry, not yet," she sighed. "Isn't it wonderful that there's no
quarrel between us? Just you and I, Jerry, here, alone, like the first
man and woman--alone in the world. There's no man in it but you, no
woman but me, we're mated, Jerry, like the birds. Don't you hear them
singing? The woods are alive with songs of love. And you, Jerry, you
stand there staring at me with those great, timid eyes of yours. Why
do you stare at me so? Are you frightened? I think that I am stronger
than you. It is love that makes me strong. Come to me, Jerry. Kiss me,
again."

"Marcia!" he gasped. And then another silence.

"I mustn't."

"I love you, Jerry."

"Will you marry me? Tomorrow!"

"Marriage, Jerry? Yes, some day--"

"Tomorrow--!"

"Aren't you satisfied--with this? The wonder of it."

"But I have no right. I can't explain. It's desecration!"

"A sacrament!" she said.

"A sacrament!"

"You said so."

"Not this, Marcia. A sacrament should be gentle. I want to be gentle
in my thoughts of you. But I can't, not now. I could strangle you if
you let another man do this, and kill--"

"I love you--when you talk like that. Strangle me if you like, kill
me, I'm yours--"

I think that to Marcia, this was the greatest moment of her