ie followed the speaker with
bright but visionary eyes. There must be some truth in all this. Her
mother had said it; Mr. Slinn had laughingly admitted it. She HAD a
brilliant future before her! Was she right in making it impossible by
a rash and foolish tie? He himself had said she was inexperienced.
She knew it; and yet, what was he doing now but taking advantage of
that inexperience? If he really loved her, he would be willing to
submit to the test. She did not ask a similar one from him; and was
willing, if she came out of it free, to marry him just the same. There
was something so noble in this thought that she felt for a moment
carried away by an impulse of compassionate unselfishness, and smiled
tenderly as she looked up in his face.

"Then you consent, Mamie?" he said, eagerly, passing his arm around her
waist.

"Not now, Caesar," she said, gently disengaging herself. "I must think
it over; we are both too young to act upon it rashly; it would be
unfair to you, who are so quiet and have seen so few girls--I mean
Americans--to tie yourself to the first one you have known. When I am
gone you will go more into the world. There are Mr. Slinn's two
sisters coming here--I shouldn't wonder if they were far cleverer and
talked far better than I do--and think how I should feel if I knew that
only a wretched pledge to me kept you from loving them!" She stopped,
and cast down her eyes.

It was her first attempt at coquetry, for, in her usual charming
selfishness, she was perfectly frank and open; and it might not have
been her last, but she had gone too far at first, and was not prepared
for a recoil of her own argument.

"If you admit that it is possible--that it is possible to you!" he
said, quickly.

She saw her mistake. "We may not have many opportunities to meet
alone," she answered, quietly; "and I am sure we would be happier when
we meet not to accuse each other of impossibilities. Let us rather see
how we can communicate together, if anything should prevent our
meeting. Remember, it was only by chance that you were able to see me
now. If ma has believed that she ought to have been consulted, our
meeting together in this secret way will only make matters worse. She
is even now wondering where I am, and may be suspicious. I must go
back at once. At any moment some one may come here looking for me."

"But I have so much to say," he pleaded. "Our time has been so short."

"You can write."