. I know--I have always known--that you are
far above me. But that couldn't prevent my loving you--just humbly
loving you, asking nothing else. You may be angry with my presumption,
but I can't help telling you that I love you. That's all. I just want
you to know it."

Sara had turned away her head. Jeffrey was overcome with contrition.
Ah, he had no business to speak so--he had spoiled the devotion of
years. Who was he that he should have dared to love her? Silence alone
had justified his love, and now he had lost that justification. She
would despise him. He had forfeited her friendship for ever.

"Are you angry, Sara?" he questioned sadly, after a silence.

"I think I am," said Sara. She kept her stately head averted. "If--if
you have loved me, Jeff, why did you never tell me so before?"

"How could I dare?" he said gravely. "I knew I could never win
you--that I had no right to dream of you so. Oh, Sara, don't be angry!
My love has been reverent and humble. I have asked nothing. I ask
nothing now but your friendship. Don't take that from me, Sara. Don't
be angry with me."

"I _am_ angry," repeated Sara, "and I think I have a right to be."

"Perhaps so," he said simply, "but not because I have loved you. Such
love as mine ought to anger no woman, Sara. But you have a right to be
angry with me for presuming to put it into words. I should not have
done so--but I could not help it. It rushed to my lips in spite of me.
Forgive me."

"I don't know whether I can forgive you for not telling me before,"
said Sara steadily. "_That_ is what I have to forgive--not your
speaking at last, even if it was dragged from you against your will.
Did you think I would make you such a very poor wife, Jeff, that you
would not ask me to marry you?"

"Sara!" he said, aghast. "I--I--you were as far above me as a star in
the sky--I never dreamed--I never hoped----"

"That I could care for you?" said Sara, looking round at last. "Then
you were more modest than a man ought to be, Jeff. I did not know that
you loved me, or I should have found some way to make you speak out
long ago. I should not have let you waste all these years. I've loved
you--ever since we picked mayflowers on the hill, I think--ever since
I came home from school, I know. I never cared for anyone
else--although I tried to, when I thought you didn't care for me. It
mattered nothing to me that the world may have thought there was some
social difference between us. The