your heart. You may send me away
again as you did last winter, but I will come back, for, Marion, I love
you, and I must have your love." Instinctively she started to her feet.
Duncan was quickly by her side. His arm was about her, and she felt his
lips against her cheek.

"I love you, my Marion," he whispered passionately; "you shall not leave
me." For a moment she rested her head against his breast and felt the
embrace of his strong arms.

"If it were not a sin, Duncan," she said, looking up into his eyes, "I
might love you."

"No love like ours can be a sin. It is heaven sent."

"If it only were," she sighed; then he drew her closer to him.

"It is, dearest," he said. "If you will listen to me, you will believe
it, too."

"I must not listen to you, Duncan."

"Must I go away?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then I was foolish to fancy I could read love in your eyes."

"Don't torture me."

"I, torture? It is you who send me from you."

"I know it, but think of the danger we are in. Leave me to-night,
Duncan. To-morrow Florence will be with Mr. Wainwright's aunt, and
Roswell goes to St. Louis. Dine with me at eight, perhaps I can tell you
then, but not to-night. I must have time to think."

"I will go now," he said, "but I will come to you to-morrow." He kissed
her.

"God help me," she sighed.

Duncan quietly released her and they walked silently back toward the
place where they had left the others. At the corner of the building they
met Sedger. It was too dark for him to notice that Marion was agitated,
and any possible suspicions were averted by Duncan's saying quietly,
"Here we are. We had just started to join you. Is the drag ready?"

"Yes. I have been collecting the party. You are the last to be found.
It's a capital night for a drive and I intend to take you back through
Jackson Park."

"Splendid," said Marion. "I adore driving in the moonlight."

The party had left the veranda, and Marion and her companions walked to
where they were waiting. They were obliged to descend the stairs to the
hallway below, and by the time they reached the rendezvous she felt
perfectly calm and collected. They were compelled to wait a moment for a
missing wrap. Marion stood next to Duncan, and a wild sense of pleasure
was in her heart. The fear had gone, and her love made her defiant. She
felt that she might give him his answer then.

The missing wrap was found, and the party moved toward the door. As they
passed out t