to my heart, Elsa, for more years now than
I would care to count."

"Perhaps it is a little too soon, Andor--yet--" she whispered under her
breath.

Oh! She could have whipped herself for that warm blush which now covered
not only her cheeks but her neck and bosom, and for that glow of
happiness which had rushed straight at her heart at his words. But he
had already seen the blush, and caught that expression of happiness in
her blue eyes which suddenly made her look as she did of old--five years
ago--before that wan, pathetic expression of resignation had altered her
sweet face so completely.

"I don't want to worry you, Elsa," he said simply.

"You couldn't worry me, Andor," she said, "you have always been the best
friend I had in the world."

"That is because I have loved you more dearly than anyone ever loved
you on this earth," he said earnestly.

"God bless you for that, Andor."

He leaned forward, nearer to her now: his gaze had become more fixed,
more compelling. Since he had seen that look on her face and that blush
he was sure of his ground; he knew that, given time and peace, the wheel
of fate, which had already taken an upward turn for him, would soon
carry him to the summit of his desires--the woman whom he loved was no
longer unattainable and she had remained faithful throughout all this
time.

"Do you think, Elsa," he asked more insistently now, and sinking his
voice to that whisper which reaches a woman's ear far more truly than
the loudest beating of drum, "do you think that, now that you are free,
you could bring yourself to . . . to care . . . to . . . ? You were very
fond of me once, Elsa," he pleaded.

"I am fond of you now, Andor," she whispered in response. "No, no," she
added hurriedly, for already he had made a movement towards her and the
next moment would have been down on his knees with his arms around her,
but for the gently-restraining touch of her hand, "it is too soon to
talk about that."

"Yes--too soon," he assented with enforced calm, even though his heart
was beating furiously; "it is too soon I know, and I won't worry you,
Elsa--I said I wouldn't and I won't. . . . I am not a cur to come and
force myself on you when you are not ready to listen to me, and we won't
talk about it all . . . not just yet." . . .

His throat felt very dry, and his tongue felt several sizes too large
for his mouth. It was mightily difficult to keep calm and to speak
soberly when one's inclina