and if I could--if it was possible, I would ask you to marry me.
But I cannot. It is impossible. It would bring misery upon all, upon my
father and mother, and upon you. How can I make you understand? My
people are rich, all their friends are rich, and all very proud."

The tears were streaming down her face, and she sat motionless.

"But I don't want to know your friends," she said, in a choking voice.

"I know, I know," he said, "and I could be quite happy with you if they
were all dead and out of the way, and if the world was different from
what it is. But I have thought it all out, and I am sure I ought to go
away at once, and never come back again."

There was a long pause, but at last she rose and said, "Mr. Barton, I
have felt that something of this sort might happen, but I have never
thought it out, as you say you have. I am confused now it has come, just
as if I had never feared it beforehand. I was very, very happy, and I
would not think of what might come of it. I might have known that a
grand gentleman like you would never live with the like of me; but then I
thought I loved you very, very dearly; you seemed so bright, and grand,
and tender, that I loved you in spite of all I was afraid of, and I
thought if you loved me you might perhaps be--" Here she broke down
altogether, and burst into sobs, and seemed as though she would fall. He
rose and threw his arms round her, led her back to the rock, called her
all the sweet names he could think of, kissed her again and again, and
tried to soothe her; while she, poor thing, could do nothing but sob,
with her head upon his shoulder.

A loud shout aroused them. They both rose suddenly, and turned their
faces towards the place whence the sound proceeded. Hawkstone was just
emerging from the surf, which was lashing furiously against the corner of
the cliff, round which they had come dry-shod a short time before, They
at once guessed their fate, and glanced in dismay at one another and then
at the sea, and again at Hawkstone, who rapidly approached them, drenched
through and through, and in a fierce state of wrath and terror, added to
the excitement of his struggle with the waves.

"What are you doing here?" he cried, and in the same breath, "Don't
answer--don't dare to answer, but listen. You are caught by the tide. I
have sent a boy back to Babbicombe for help. No help can come by sea in
such a storm. They will bring a basket and ropes by the cli