and the gentle yielding, the sort of rapturous
sigh, answered him better than any words. He pressed kisses on the
unresisting lips, kisses that then were sacred to affianced lovers and
husbands.

Was it an hour or half a lifetime? He inclined her to his knee as he had
when she was a little girl, but at length he came back to his senses.

"Cynthia," he began with tender gravity, "there are many points to
consider. Do you know that I am more than double your age----"

"Don't tell that to me. Isn't love as sweet?"

Could he deny it in the face of that ravishing smile, those appealing
eyes.

"Still--the world will think about it. And you are a rich young woman,
you could take your pick of lovers----"

"But they are all so troublesome," she interrupted. "And one gets
affronted with the other. And if I picked very much I might be called a
flirt, perhaps I have been. I didn't want them, only to dance and be
merry with, and there are so many pretty girls in the world--enough for
all of them."

He smiled a little and it gave her a heartache to see how thin he had
grown, and there were new creases in his forehead that had been so fair
and smooth.

"And if some day you should repent?"

"I'm not going to repent. Why should one when one gets the thing one
wanted?"

There was a touch of the old brightness in her tone. Had she really
wanted him?

"I've been very naughty with all these lovers, haven't I? But no one
came near enough to really ask me that question until last night, though
Mr. Marsh thought he would if he were going to stay. And Cousin Chilian,
I had made up my mind truly, I thought, for I liked Mr. Saltonstall very
much, and it seemed to me you wanted me to----" Her voice died away in
pathos.

"I did. Oh, you must know the worst of me. When I found you were
growing into my very heart, and I began to feel jealous of the young
men, I took myself in hand as a most reprehensible old fellow. But I
found you had entwined yourself in every fibre of my heart, and it was
hard indeed to uproot you."

"And you really tried?" Her tone was upbraiding.

"I tried like an honest, upright man. I shall never be ashamed of the
effort. I would not mar or spoil your life. You see you might have loved
some of these brave young lads. You might have been very happy with
them."

"Oh, you can't have but one husband;" in laughing gayety.

He flushed at her mischief.

"I wonder when you began to love me? And what has made yo