th. All heaven and earth
together should not make her marry Peter Steinmarc. Nor should earth
and the evil one combined make her give herself to a young man after
any fashion that should disgrace her mother's memory or her father's
name. If her aunt doubted her, the sorrow would be great, but she
must bear it. "You have no right here," she said as soon as she was
confronted with the young man. "You know that you should not be here.
Go away."

"Linda, I love you."

"I don't want your love."

"And now they tell me that my cousin Peter is to be your husband."

"No, no. He will never be my husband."

"You will promise that?"

"He will never be my husband."

"Thanks, dearest; a thousand thanks for that. But your aunt is his
friend. Is it not true?"

"Of course she is his friend."

"And would give you to him?"

"I am not hers to give. I am not to be given away at all. I choose
to stay as I am. You know that you are very wicked to be here; but I
believe you want to get me into trouble."

"Oh, Linda!"

"Then go. If you wish me to forgive you, go instantly."

"Say that you love me, and I will be gone at once."

"I will not say it."

"And do you not love me,--a little? Oh, Linda, you are so dear to
me!"

"Why do you not go? They tell me evil things of you, and now I
believe them. If you were not very wicked you would not come upon me
here, in this way, when I am alone, doing all that you possibly can
to make me wretched."

"I would give all the world to make you happy."

"I have never believed what they said of you. I always thought that
they were ill-natured and prejudiced, and that they spoke falsehoods.
But now I shall believe them. Now I know that you are very wicked.
You have no right to stand here. Why do you not go when I bid you?"

"But you forgive me?"

"Yes, if you go now,--at once."

Then he seized her hand and kissed it. "Dearest Linda, remember that
I shall always love you; always be thinking of you; always hoping
that you will some day love me a little. Now I am gone."

"But which way?" said Linda--"you cannot jump back to the boat. The
pole is gone. At the door they will see you from the windows."

"Nobody shall see me. God bless you, Linda." Then he again took her
hand, though he did not, on this occasion, succeed in raising it as
far as his lips. After that he ran down the passage, and, having
glanced each way from the window, in half a minute was again in the
garden. Linda, of co