ld have thought him a man
meditating suicide. Suddenly his voice and face became less wild, and he
said tenderly: "There is no use in my telling you how I love you. You
know it now, or will never learn it from anything I can say." Peter
strode back to the fire. "It is my love which asks for a kiss. And I
want it for the love you will give with it, if you can give it."

Leonore had apparently kept her eyes on the blazing logs during the
whole of this monologue. But she must have seen something of Peter's
uneasy wanderings about the room, for she had said to herself: "Poor
dear! He must be fearfully in earnest, I never knew him so restless. He
prowls just like a wild animal."

A moment's silence came after Peter's return to the fire. Then he said:
"Will you give it to me, Miss D'Alloi?" But his voice in truth, made the
words, "Give me what I ask, my darling."

"Yes," said Leonore softly. "On your birthday." Then Leonore shrank back
a little, as if afraid that her gift would be sought sooner. No young
girl, however much she loves a man, is quite ready for that first kiss.
A man's lips upon her own are too contrary to her instinct and previous
training to make them an unalloyed pleasure. The girl who is over-ready
for her lover's first kiss, has tasted the forbidden fruit already, or
has waited over-long for it.

Peter saw the little shrinking and understood it. What was more, he
heeded it as many men would not have done. Perhaps there was something
selfish in his self-denial, for the purity and girlishness which it
indicated were very dear to him, and he hated to lessen them by anything
he did. He stood quietly by her, and merely said, "I needn't tell you
how happy I am!"

Leonore looked up into Peter's face. If Leonore had seen there any lack
of desire to take her in his arms and kiss her, she would never have
forgiven him. But since his face showed beyond doubt that he was longing
to do it, Leonore loved him all the better for his repression of self,
out of regard for her. She slipped her little hand into Peter's
confidingly, and said, "So am I." It means a good deal when a girl does
not wish to run away from her lover the moment after she has confessed
her love.

So they stood for some time, Leonore looking down into the fire, and
Peter looking down at Leonore.

Finally Peter said, "Will you do me a great favor?"

"No," said Leonore, "I've done enough for one night. But you can tell me
what it is."

"Will yo