all this spring--even the Easter ceremonies at
Seville," he urged, exaggerating his demands in the hope of a larger
concession.

"Easter in Seville? And it will be Lent next week!" she laughed.

"Why shouldn't we be married in Lent?" he rejoined; but she looked so
shocked that he saw his mistake.

"Of course I didn't mean that, dearest; but soon after Easter--so that
we could sail at the end of April. I know I could arrange it at the
office."

She smiled dreamily upon the possibility; but he perceived that to
dream of it sufficed her. It was like hearing him read aloud out of
his poetry books the beautiful things that could not possibly happen in
real life.

"Oh, do go on, Newland; I do love your descriptions."

"But why should they be only descriptions? Why shouldn't we make them
real?"

"We shall, dearest, of course; next year." Her voice lingered over it.

"Don't you want them to be real sooner? Can't I persuade you to break
away now?"

She bowed her head, vanishing from him under her conniving hat-brim.

"Why should we dream away another year? Look at me, dear! Don't you
understand how I want you for my wife?"

For a moment she remained motionless; then she raised on him eyes of
such despairing dearness that he half-released her waist from his hold.
But suddenly her look changed and deepened inscrutably. "I'm not sure
if I DO understand," she said. "Is it--is it because you're not
certain of continuing to care for me?"

Archer sprang up from his seat. "My God--perhaps--I don't know," he
broke out angrily.

May Welland rose also; as they faced each other she seemed to grow in
womanly stature and dignity. Both were silent for a moment, as if
dismayed by the unforeseen trend of their words: then she said in a low
voice: "If that is it--is there some one else?"

"Some one else--between you and me?" He echoed her words slowly, as
though they were only half-intelligible and he wanted time to repeat
the question to himself. She seemed to catch the uncertainty of his
voice, for she went on in a deepening tone: "Let us talk frankly,
Newland. Sometimes I've felt a difference in you; especially since our
engagement has been announced."

"Dear--what madness!" he recovered himself to exclaim.

She met his protest with a faint smile. "If it is, it won't hurt us to
talk about it." She paused, and added, lifting her head with one of
her noble movements: "Or even if it's true: why shouldn't w