y at once--but, any time, after you'd thought
about it?"

She looked up at him and saw that he was shaking from head to foot.
Her pride was nearly overcome and she wanted to fling herself at his
feet, and kiss his hands, and never let him go, but she remembered that
Pendragon had said that she was catching him for his money; so, by a
great effort, she stayed where she was, and answered quietly, even
coldly--

"I am more honoured, Mr. Trojan, than I can tell you by your asking me.
It is much, very much more than I deserve, and, indeed, I'm not in the
least worthy of it. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's no good. You see
I'm such a stupid sort of girl--I muddle things so. It would never do
for me to attempt to manage a big place like 'The Flutes'--and then I
don't think I shall ever marry. I don't think I am that sort of girl.
You have been an awfully good friend to me, and I'm more grateful to
you than I can say. I can't tell you how much you have helped us all
during these last weeks. But I'm afraid I must say no."

The light from the window fell on her hair and the blue of her dress--a
little gold pin at her throat flashed and sparkled; his eye caught it,
and was fixed there.

"No--don't say actually no." He was stammering. "Please--please.
Think about it after I have gone away. I will come again another day
when you have thought about it. I'm so stupid in saying things--I
can't express myself; but, Miss Bethel--Mary--I love you--I love you.
There isn't much to say about it--I can't express it any better--but,
please--you mustn't say no like that. I would be as good a husband to
you as I could, dear, always. I'm not the sort of fellow to change."

"No"--she was speaking quickly as though she meant it to be final--"no,
really, I mean it. I can't, I can't. You see one has to feel certain
about it, hasn't one?--and I don't--not quite like that. But you are
the very best friend that I have ever had; don't let it spoil that."

"Perhaps," he said slowly, "it's my age. You don't feel that you could
with a man old enough to be your father. But I'm young--younger than
Robin. But I won't bother you about it. Of course, if you are
certain----"

He rose and stumbled a moment over the chair as he passed to the door.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I----" and then she had to turn to
hide her face. In her heart there was a struggle such as she had never
faced before. Her love called her a fool and told h