right. Oh, my dear, do you
realize what you are doing? I am--I am ever so much older than you. I am
not worthy of you. You could have made a so much better marriage."

She looked at me. She was smiling, but there was a tiny wrinkle between
her brows.

"Meaning," she said, "I suppose, that I might have married Doctor
Bayliss. I might perhaps marry him even yet, if I wished. I--I think he
would have me, if I threw myself at his head."

"Yes," I admitted, grudgingly. "Yes, he loves you, Frances."

"Kent, when we were there in Mayberry it seemed to me that my aunt and
you were almost anxious that I should marry him. It seemed to me that
you took every opportunity to throw me in his way; you refused my
invitations for golf and tennis and suggested that I play with him
instead. It used to annoy me. I resented it. I thought you were eager to
get rid of me. I did not know then the truth about Father and--and the
money. And I thought you hoped I might marry him and--and not trouble
you any more. But I think I understand now. You--you did not care for me
so much then. Was that it?"

I shook my head. "Care for you!" I repeated. "I cared for you so much
that I did not dare trust myself with you. I did not dare to think of
you, and yet I could think of no one else. I know now that I fell in
love with you when I first met you at that horrible Briggs woman's
lodging-house. Don't you see? That was the very reason why. Don't you
see?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't quite see. If you cared for me like that how
could you be willing for me to marry him? That is what puzzles me. I
don't understand it."

"It was because I did care for you. It was because I cared so much, I
wanted you to be happy. I never dreamed that you could care for an old,
staid, broken-down bookworm like me. It wasn't thinkable. I can scarcely
think it now. Oh, Frances, are you SURE you are not making a mistake?
Are you sure it isn't gratitude which makes you--"

She rose from her chair and came to me. Her eyes were wet, but there was
a light in them like the sunlight behind a summer shower.

"Don't, please don't!" she begged. "And caring for me like that you
could still come to me as you did this morning and suggest my marrying
him."

"Yes, yes, I came because--because I knew he loved you and I
thought that you might not know it. And if you did know it I
thought--perhaps--you might be happier and--"

I faltered and stopped. She was standing beside me, looking