"I want you to make me love you," she said, frankly; "I hope you will; I
shall do all I can to help you. But--unless I do--will you remember
that?--I do _not_ love you." As he was silent, she went on: "Take me as
a comrade; I will go where you wish. I am really a good comrade; I can
do what men do. You shall see! It will be pleasant, I think."

After a little while he spoke in a low voice which was not perfectly
steady: "Miss Castle, I am going to tell you something which you must
know. I do not believe that Mr. Garcide has authorized me to offer
myself to you."

"He told me that he desired it," she said. "That is why he brought us
together. And he also said," she added, hastily, "that you were somewhat
bashful. So I thought it best to make it easy for us both. I hope I
have."

Crawford sat motionless for a long while. At last he passed his hands
over his eyes, leaning forward and looking into her face.

"I've simply got to be honest with you," he said; "I know there is a
mistake."

"No, there is no mistake," she said, bending her head and looking him in
the eyes--"unless you have made the mistake--unless," she said,
quickly--"you do not want me."

"Want you!" he stammered, catching fire of a sudden--"want you, you
beautiful child! I love you if ever man loved on earth! Want you?" His
hand fell heavily on hers, and closed. For an instant their palms lay
close together; her heart almost stopped; then a swift flame flew to her
face and she struggled to withdraw her fingers twisted in his.

"You must not do that," she said, breathlessly. "I do not love you--I
warned you!"

He said: "You _must_ love me! Can't you understand? You made me love
you--you made me! Listen to me--it is all a mistake--but it is too late
now. I did not dare even think of you--I have simply got to tell you the
truth--I did not dare think of you--I must say it--and I can't
understand how I could ever have seen you and not loved you. But when
you spoke--when I touched you--"

"Please, please," she said, faintly, "let me go! It is not a mistake;
I--I am glad that you love me; I will try to love you. I want to--I
believe I can--"

"You _must_!"

"Yes, ... I will.... Please let me go!"

Breathless and crimson, she fell back into her corner, staring at him.
He dropped his arm on the back of the rustic seat.

Presently he laughed uncertainly, and struck his forehead with his open
hand.

"It's a mistake," he said; "and if it is a mistake,