o loved, his pleading
quickened to a warmer note. He flung himself upon his knees beside her
chair, and took in his great sinewy hands the slender fingers which she
listlessly surrendered. "Rose," he cried, and his deep voice quivered
with intercession, "dismiss all that you have heard from out your mind.
Consider only this thing that has befallen. Suppose that Lionel
my brother came to you, and that, having some measure of power and
authority to support him, he swore to you that you should never wed me,
swore to prevent this marriage because he deemed you such a woman as
could not bear my name with honour to myself; and suppose that to all
this he added insult to the memory of your dead father, what answer
would you return him? Speak, Rose! Be honest with thyself and me. Deem
yourself in my place, and say in honesty if you can still condemn me for
what I have done. Say if it differs much from what you would wish to do
in such a case as I have named."

Her eyes scanned now his upturned face, every line of which was pleading
to her and calling for impartial judgment. Her face grew troubled, and
then almost fierce. She set her hands upon his shoulders, and looked
deep into his eyes.

"You swear to me, Noll, that all is as you have told it me--you have
added naught, you have altered naught to make the tale more favourable
to yourself?"

"You need such oaths from me?" he asked, and she saw sorrow spread upon
his countenance.

"If I did I should not love thee, Noll. But in such an hour I need your
own assurance. Will you not be generous and bear with me, strengthen me
to withstand anything that may be said hereafter?"

"As God's my witness, I have told you true in all," he answered
solemnly.

She sank her head to his shoulder. She was weeping softly, overwrought
by this climax to all that in silence and in secret she had suffered
since he had come a-wooing her.

"Then," she said, "I believe you acted rightly. I believe with you that
no man of honour could have acted otherwise. I must believe you, Noll,
for did I not, then I could believe in naught and hope for naught. You
are as a fire that has seized upon the better part of me and consumed it
all to ashes that you may hold it in your heart. I am content so you be
true."

"True I shall ever be, sweetheart," he whispered fervently. "Could I be
less since you are sent to make me so?"

She looked at him again, and now she was smiling wistfully through her
tears.