Dunn thought, to place a harsh
hempen noose about the soft white throat he watched where the little
pulse still fluttered up and down. But now it was burnt and utterly
destroyed, and no one would ever see it.

At the thought he laughed and she drew back, very startled.

"Oh, what is the matter?" she exclaimed.

"Nothing," he answered. "Nothing in all the world except that I love
you."

CHAPTER XVIII. ROBERT DUNN'S ENEMY

When he had said this he went a step or two aside and sat down on the
stump of a tree. He was very agitated and disturbed for he had not in
the very least meant to say such a thing, he had not even known that he
really felt like that.

It was, indeed, a rush and power of quite unexpected passion that had
swept him away and made him for the moment lose all control of himself.
Ella showed much more composure. She had become extraordinarily pale,
but otherwise she did not appear in any way agitated.

She remained silent, her eyes bent on the ground, her only movement a
gesture by which she rubbed softly and in turn each of her wrists as
though they hurt her.

"Well, can't you say something?" he asked roughly, annoyed by her
persistent silence.

"I don't see that there's anything for me to say," she answered.

"Oh, well now then," he muttered; quite disconcerted.

She raised her eyes from the ground, and for the first time looked full
at him, in her expression both curiosity and resentment.

"It is perfectly intolerable," she said with a heaving breast. "Will you
tell me who you are?"

"I've told you one thing," he answered sullenly, his eyes on fire. "I
should have thought that was enough. I'll tell you nothing more."

"I think you are the most horrid man I ever met," she cried. "And the
very, very ugliest--all that hair on your face so that no one can see
anything else. What are you like when you cut it off?"

"Does that matter?" he asked, in the same gruff and surly manner.

"I should think it matters a good deal when I ask you," she exclaimed.
"Do you expect any one to care for a man she has never seen--nothing
but hair. You hurt my wrists awfully that night," she added resentfully.
"And you've never even hinted you're sorry."

His reply was unexpected and it disconcerted her greatly and for the
first time, for he caught both her wrists in his hands and kissed them
passionately where the cords had been.

"You mustn't do that, please don't do that," she said quickly, trying to