r?"

"By marrying me," he said.

"Oh!" Her eyes fell instantly, and he saw the hot colour rise and
overspread her face. "Oh, but not yet!" she said, almost imploringly.
"Please, not yet!"

His own face changed a little, hardened almost imperceptibly, but he gave
no sign of impatience. "In your own time, dear," he said quietly. "Heaven
knows I should be the last to persuade you against your will."

"Aunt Philippa is always worrying me about it," she told him, with a
catch in her voice. "And I--I--after all, I'm only twenty-one."

"What does she worry you for?" he said, a hint of sternness in his voice.

She glanced at him nervously. "Because--because I've no money. She
says--she says--"

"Well, dear, what does she say?"

"I don't want to tell you," whispered Chris.

"I think you had better," he said.

"Yes--I suppose so. She says that as I am bringing you nothing, I have no
right to--to keep you waiting--that beggars can't be choosers, and--and
things like that."

"My dear Chris!" he said. "And you take things like that to heart!"

"You see, they are true!" murmured Chris.

"They are not true. But all the same"--he began to smile again--"I can't
for the life of me imagine why you won't marry me and get it over."

"No?" Chris suddenly looked up again; she was clinging to his arm very
tightly with both hands. "It does seem rather silly, doesn't it?" she
said, with resolute eyes raised to his. "Trevor, I--I'll think about it."

"Do!" he said. "Think about it quietly and sanely. And don't let yourself
get frightened at nothing. As you say, it's silly."

"But you won't--press me?" she faltered. "You--you promised!"

"I keep my promises, Chris," he said.

But he was frowning slightly as he said it, and she was quick to note the
fact. "Ah! don't be vexed with me," she pleaded very earnestly. "I know
I'm foolish. I can't help it. It's the way I'm made."

She was on the verge of tears, and at once his hand closed with a warm
and comforting pressure upon hers. "Chris! Chris! When will you learn not
to be afraid of me?" he said. "I am not vexed with you, child. I am only
wondering."

"Wondering?" she said.

"Wondering if I had better go away for a spell," he answered.

"Go away!" she echoed blankly.

"And give you time to know your own mind," he said.

"Trevor!" She turned suddenly white, so white that he thought for an
instant that she was in physical pain; and then, feeling her clinging to
him, he un