your consent to be my wife."

"I cannot!" she said, "I cannot! We must think of others beside
ourselves. If you are willing to sacrifice yourself, think of your
mother and sisters!"

"Sacrifice myself! I sacrifice myself only if I give you up. You must
feel the falseness of such a use of the word. As for my mother and
sisters, I ask you to test that matter. Agree to marry me and I promise
that they will come to our wedding, and my mother will call you
daughter, and my sisters will call you sister, and they will open their
hearts to you and love you."

"Because your will is all-powerful with them," she said.

"Yes, partly because they trust and believe in me, and will sanction
what I do; and also because--in spite of a good deal of surface
conventionality and worldliness--they are right-minded, true-hearted,
good women, who will only need to know your whole history, as I know it,
and to realize my love for you, as I can make them realize it, to feel
that our marriage is the right and true and only issue of it all."

Christine felt herself terribly shaken. She did not dare to look at Noel
lest her eyes might betray her, and she would not for anything have him
to know how she was weakened in her resolve by what he had said of his
mother and sisters. The conviction with which he spoke had carried its
own force to her mind, and she suddenly found the strongest weapon with
which she had fought her fight shattered in her hands. He saw that she
was weakening, but he would not take advantage of it. She was so white
and tremulous; her breath came forth so quick and short; the drawn lines
about her mouth were so piteous that he felt she must be spared.

"I will not press you now, Christine," he said; "take time to think
about it. Let me come again to-morrow morning. I will leave you now and
you must try to rest. Talk freely to Mrs. Murray. Ask her what you must
do. Remember that I consent to wait, only because I am so determined.
Listen to me one moment. I swear before Heaven I will never give you up.
You gave yourself to me in that kiss, and you are mine."

"Yes," she said, as if that struggle were over with her now, "I am
yours. I know it. Even if we part forever I am always yours. I will
tell you what I will do. Your mother shall know everything and she shall
decide."

He was at once afraid and glad, and Christine saw it.

"I must see your mother," she began.

"I will see her for you. I will tell her everything and