kely to be in love."

"Then you must marry me. If you were in love with me, I should run
away. My sainted Henrietta adored me, and I proved unworthy of
adoration--though I was immensely flattered."

"Yes; exactly! The way you treated your first wife ought to be
sufficient to warn any woman against becoming your second."

"Any woman who loved me, you mean. But you do not love me, and if I run
away you will have the advantage of being rid of me. Our settlements can
be drawn so as to secure you half my fortune in such an event."

"You will never have a chance of running away from me."

"I shall not want to. I am not so squeamish as I was. No; I do not think
I shall run away from you."

"I do not think so either."

"Well, when shall we be married?"

"Never," said Agatha, and fled. But before she had gone a step he caught
her.

"Don't," she said breathlessly. "Take your arm away. How dare you?"

He released her and shut the door of the conservatory. "Now," he said,
"if you want to run away you will have to run in the open."

"You are very impertinent. Let me go in immediately."

"Do you want me to beg you to marry me after you have offered to do it
freely?"

"But I was only joking; I don't care for you," she said, looking round
for an outlet.

"Agatha," he said, with grim patience, "half an hour ago I had no more
intention of marrying you than of making a voyage to the moon. But when
you made the suggestion I felt all its force in an instant, and now
nothing will satisfy me but your keeping your word. Of all the women I
know, you are the only one not quite a fool."

"I should be a great fool if--"

"If you married me, you were going to say; but I don't think so. I am
the only man, not quite an ass, of your acquaintance. I know my value,
and yours. And I loved you long ago, when I had no right to."

Agatha frowned. "No," she said. "There is no use in saying anything more
about it. It is out of the question."

"Come, don't be vindictive. I was more sincere then than you were. But
that has nothing to do with the present. You have spent our renewed
acquaintance on the defensive against me, retorting upon me, teasing and
tempting me. Be generous for once, and say Yes with a good will."

"Oh, I NEVER tempted you," cried Agatha. "I did not. It is not true."
He said nothing, but offered his hand. "No; go away; I will not."
He persisted, and she felt her power of resistance suddenly wane.
Terror-stricken, she