now--he loved her, no longer.

Her face went white, though she strove to keep the color in it.

"Yes, oh, yes!" she said. "I am only tired and--sleepy."

"Then I won't keep you," he said gravely. "Good night."

He had turned; but even as he turned, the longing in his heart grew too
fierce for restraint. He swung round suddenly and caught her to him, drew
her head upon his breast, and kissed her with passionate love--and
remorse.

Nell strove for strength to repulse him, to free herself from his arms;
but the strength would not come. For a moment she lay motionless, her
lips upturned to his, her eyes seeking his, with an expression in them
which haunted Drake for many a long year afterward.

"Nell," he said hoarsely, "I--I have something to tell you to-morrow.
I--I have to ask your forgiveness. I would tell you to-night, but--I
haven't courage. To-morrow!"

The words broke the spell. The flush of a hot, unbearable shame burned
in her veins and shone redly in her face. With an effort, she drew
herself from his arms and blindly escaped into the sitting room.

Drake raised his head and looked after her, biting his lip.

"Why not tell her to-night?" he asked himself. There was no guardian
angel to whisper, "The man who hesitates is lost!" and thinking, "Not
to-night; she is too tired--to-morrow!" he left the house.

Nell stood in the center of the room, her face white, her hands shaking;
and Dick, as he peeled off what remained of his gloves, surveyed her
critically.

"If I were you, young person, I'd have a stiff glass of grog before I
tumbled into my little bed. Look here, if you like to go up now, I'll
have a smoke, and bring you some up presently. You look--well, you look
as if you were going to have the measles, my child."

Nell laughed discordantly.

"Do I?" she said, pushing the hair from her forehead with both hands,
and staring before her vacantly. "Perhaps I am."

"Measles--or influenza," he said, with a pursing of the lips. "Get up to
bed, Nell."

"I'm going," she said.

She came round the table, and, leaning both hands on his shoulders, bent
her lovely head and kissed him.

"Dick, you--you care for me still?" she asked, in a strained voice.

He stared at her, as, brother like, he wiped the kiss from his lips.

"Care for you? What----Look here, Nell, you're behaving like a
second-class idiot. And your lips are like fire. I'm dashed if I don't
think you are going to have something."

She la