t I see--I see! I can
explain--no, there's nothing to explain! I have never knowingly done or
said a thing from first to last to make you think that. I see how
terrible it is!" he said; but he still smiled, as if he could not take
it seriously. "I admired her beauty--who could help doing that?--and I
thought her very good and sensible. Why, last winter in Texas, I told
Stanton about our meeting in Canada, and we agreed--I only tell you to
show you how far I always was from what you thought--that he must come
North and try to see her, and--and--of course, it all sounds very
silly!--and he sent her a newspaper with an account of his ranch in
it----"

"She thought it came from you."

"Oh, good heavens! He didn't tell me till after he'd done it. But he
did it for a part of our foolish joke. And when I met your sister
again, I only admired her as before. I can see, now, how I must have
seemed to be seeking her out; but it was to talk of you with her--I
never talked of anything else if I could help it, except when I changed
the subject because I was ashamed to be always talking of you. I see
how distressing it is for all of you. But tell me that you believe me!"

"Yes, I must. It's all been our mistake----"

"It has indeed! But there's no mistake about my loving you, Penelope,"
he said; and the old-fashioned name, at which she had often mocked, was
sweet to her from his lips.

"That only makes it worse!" she answered.

"Oh no!" he gently protested. "It makes it better. It makes it right.
How is it worse? How is it wrong?"

"Can't you see? You must understand all now! Don't you see that if she
believed so too, and if she----" She could not go on.

"Did she--did your sister--think that too?" gasped Corey.

"She used to talk with me about you; and when you say you care for me
now, it makes me feel like the vilest hypocrite in the world. That day
you gave her the list of books, and she came down to Nantasket, and
went on about you, I helped her to flatter herself--oh! I don't see how
she can forgive me. But she knows I can never forgive myself! That's
the reason she can do it. I can see now," she went on, "how I must
have been trying to get you from her. I can't endure it! The only way
is for me never to see you or speak to you again!" She laughed
forlornly. "That would be pretty hard on you, if you cared."

"I do care--all the world!"

"Well, then, it would if you were going to keep on caring. You w