answered with an
entire softening of his manner and expression. "But I realize I am
asking you more than that, because I want you to marry me without
telling any one and then slip over the border into Mexico with me to
live until the war is past. If anything happens and I am caught, why, at
least you will be safe, for my father will look after you. I did not
want to ask you to marry me in this way, Gerry, I do not like the idea
any more than you do. I had planned to tell you I cared for you and to
tell Mrs. Burton also. I was even willing to wait for a year or more if
you both thought it necessary. But now this difficulty of mine alters
everything, and these are war times, when one is not expected to behave
in an ordinary fashion."

In order to insure his own way, Felipe was in truth a good pleader.
Besides, Gerry was already deeply under his influence.

Now Felipe's unexpected request made her both happy and unhappy, for she
could not fail to be glad that he cared for her, although she knew she
had no right to agree to his request.

The ethical side of the question of Felipe's intention to escape
military service apparently made no impression upon Gerry one way or
the other; the question seemed so entirely his to decide. Her feeling
was merely that she could not bear to marry him and not tell even Mrs.
Burton until afterwards.

If she were a little older she believed the situation would have
appeared less formidable, then she would have had a clearer right to
decide for herself. Under the circumstances she must not consider
Felipe's suggestion even for a moment.

Yet she had only to answer, "No," and things would be as before.

For Felipe himself was uncertain and frightened of what he was asking.
If he did not appreciate the full selfishness and wrong of it,
nevertheless he did realize it in part. Gerry faced the alternative
before replying. If she refused Felipe's offer, in a little while she
must return to Chicago to take up her old existence in a common boarding
house with nothing in her future except to learn to make her own living.
But these things were no longer so important, the one important fact was
that she might be losing Felipe forever.

Gerry cherished few illusions. If Felipe were successful in escaping
military service they could not meet again until the war was over and in
that time many changes would have occurred. Would Felipe remember her,
or would he be less lonely in his self-imposed exile