. But I can't
let you go like this. See here, girl, is there nothing I can do?
Nothing? Surely there must be some way. Berna, Berna, look at me, listen
to me! Is there? What can I do? Tell me, tell me, my girl."

She seemed to sway to me gently. Indeed I did not intend it, but
somehow she was in my arms. She felt so slight and frail a thing, I
feared to hurt her.

Then I felt her bosom heaving greatly, and I knew she was crying. For a
little I let her cry, but presently I lifted up the white face that lay
on my shoulder. It was wet with tears. Again and again I kissed her. She
lay passively in my arms. Never did she try to escape nor hide her face,
but seemed to give herself up to me. Her tears were salt upon my lips,
yet her own lips were cold, and she did not answer to my kisses.

At last she spoke. Her voice was like a little sigh.

"Oh, if it could only be!"

"What, Berna? Tell me what?"

"If you could only take me away from them, protect me, care for me. Oh,
if you could only _marry_ me, make me your wife. I would be the best
wife in the world to you; I would work my fingers to the bone for you; I
would starve and suffer for you, and walk the world barefoot for your
sake. Oh, my dear, my dear, pity me!"

It seemed as if a sudden light had flashed upon my brain, stunning me,
bewildering me. I thought of the princess of my dreams. I thought of
Garry and of Mother. Could I take her to them?

"Berna," I said sternly, "look at me."

She obeyed.

"Berna, tell me, by all you regard as pure and holy, do you love me?"

She was silent and averted her eyes.

"No, Berna," I said, "you don't; you're afraid. It's not the sort of
love you've dreamed of. It's not your ideal. It would be gratitude and
affection, love of a kind, but never that great dazzling light, that
passion that would raise to heaven or drag to hell."

"How do I know? Perhaps that would come in time. I care a great deal for
you. I think of you always. I would be a true, devoted wife----"

"Yes, I know, Berna; but you don't love me, love me; see, dear. It's so
different. You might care and care till doomsday, but it wouldn't be the
other thing; it wouldn't be love as I have conceived of it, dreamed of
it. Listen, Berna! Here's where our difference in race comes in. You
would rush blindly into this. You would not consider, test and prove
yourself. It's the most serious matter in life to me, something to be
looked at from every side, to be weighed