ll be under the undue influence of others!"

"Put your consent upon any ground you please, you delightful, you
enchanting little creature. We will spare your blushes, charming as they
are!" he exclaimed, surprised out of self-control and seizing both her
hands.

Angrily she snatched them from him.

"What have I said? Oh! what have I said? I believe I am going crazy! I
tell you, Dr. Grimshaw, that if I ever yield, it will be only to the
overwhelming force brought to bear upon me; and even then it will be
only during a temporary fit of insanity! And I warn you--I warn you not
to dare to take me at my word!"

"Will I not? You bewitching little sprite! do you do this to make me
love you ten thousand times more than I do?"

Passionately she broke forth in reply:

"You do not believe me! You do not see that I am in terrible earnest! I
tell you, Dr. Grimshaw, that were I induced to consent to be your wife,
you had better not take advantage of such a consent! It would be the
most fatal day's work you ever did for yourself in this world! You think
I'm only a spoiled, petulant child! You do not know me! I do not know
myself! I am full of evil! I feel it sensibly, when I am near you! You
develop the worst of me! Should you marry me, the very demon would rise
in my bosom! I should drive you to distraction!"

"You drive me to distraction now, you intoxicating little witch!" he
exclaimed, laughing and darting towards her.

She started and escaped his hand, crying:

"Saints in heaven! What infatuation! What madness! It must be fate!
Avert the fate, man! Avert it! while there is yet time! Go get a
mill-stone and tie it around your neck and cast yourself into the
uttermost depths of the sea before ever you dare to marry me!" Her
cheeks were blazing with color and her eyes with light! He saw only her
transcendant beauty.

"Why, you little tragi-comic enchantress, you!--what do you mean? Come
to my arms! Come, wild, bright bird! come to my bosom!" he said,
stepping towards her and throwing his arms around her.

"Vampire!" she exclaimed, struggling to free herself for a moment; and
then as his lips sought hers the color faded from her face and the light
died in her eyes, and he hastily released her and set her in a chair
lest she should swoon in his hated arms.

"Now, how am I expected to live with such a wife as this girl would make
me? If it were not for the estate I should be tempted to give her up,
and travel to forget h