cousins ... it seemed natural.
And now ... _this_!"

A stupid catch in his throat arrested him. She sat motionless; never a
word.

Impulsively he dropped on one knee, to be nearer, yet not too near.
"Aruna--I don't know how to say it. The fact is ... they were afraid, at
Home, if I came out here, I might--it might ... Well, just what's come
to us," he blurted out in desperation. "And Mother told me frankly--it
mustn't be, twice running ... like that." Her stillness dismayed him.
"Dear," he urged tenderly, "you see their difficulty--you understand?"

"I am trying--to understand." Her voice was small and contained. The
courage and control of it unsteadied him more than any passionate
protest. Yet he hurried on in the same low tone.

"Of course, I ought to have thought. But, as I say, it seemed
natural.... Only--on Dewali night----"

She caught her breath. "Yes--Dewali night. Mai Lakshmi knew. _Why_ did
you not say it _then_?"

"Well ... so soon--I wasn't sure ... I hoped going away might give us
both a chance. It seemed the best I could do," he pleaded. "And--there
was Dyan. I'm not vamping up excuses, Aruna. If you hate me for hurting
you so----"

"Roy--you _shall_ not say it!" she cried, roused at last. "Could I hate
... the heart in my own body!"

"Better for us both perhaps if you could!" he jerked out, rising
abruptly, not daring to let the full force of her confession sink in.
"But--because of my father, I promised. No getting over that."

She was silent:--a silence more moving, more compelling than speech. Was
she wondering--had he not promised...? Was he certain himself? Near
enough to swear by; and the impulse to comfort her was overwhelming.

"If--if things had been different, Aruna," he added with grave
tenderness, "of course I would be asking you now ... to be my wife."

At that, the tension of her control seemed to snap; and hiding her face,
she sat there shaken all through with muffled, broken-hearted sobs.

"Don't--oh, _don't_!" he cried low, his own nerves quivering with her
pain.

"How can I _not_" she wailed, battling with fresh sobs. "Because of your
Indian mother--I hoped.... But for me--England-returned--no hope
anywhere: no true country now; no true belief; no true home; everything
divided in two; only my heart--not divided. And that you cannot have,
even if you would----"

Tears threatened again. It was all he could do not to take her in his
arms.

"If--if they would only leave