is a sin, an awful
sin, if there aint love to make it beautiful."

"Well, then, it would be a sin for us to marry," said Alison. "You can
see that for yourself. You need have no scruples, Jim; you can do what
you wish."

"Well, that is to marry you," said Jim. "Come, Ally, there is a
strange thing over you, my dearie, but show me your true self once
again. Come, darlin'. Why, you are going nigh to break my heart, the
way you are going on."

For a moment Alison's belief in what she had herself seen was staggered
by Jim's words and the ring of pain in his voice, but only for a
moment. The thought of Louisa and the tender way he had looked at her,
and her bold words of passion, were too vivid to be long suppressed.
Alison's voice took a note of added scorn as she replied:

"It's real shabby o' you to worry me when I have given you a straight
answer. I don't love you, not a bit, but there's another girl what
does. Go to her--go and be happy with her."

"What do you mean?" said Jim, turning pale.

Alison's eyes were fixed angrily on him.

"Oh, I see, I can move you at last," she Said. "You didn't think that
I could guess, but I can. Go to Louisa--she loves you well, and I
don't--I never did--it was all a big mistake. Girls like me often
fancy they love, and then when the thing comes near they see that they
don't; marriage is an awful thing without love--it is a sin. Go and
marry Louisa; she'll make you a good wife."

"Alison," said Jim, "there can be only one explanation to the way you
are going on to-day."

"And what is that?" she asked.

"There must be someone you like better than me."

"Of course there is," said Alison, with a shrill laugh.

"I love Grannie better than him. I love Dave better," whispered the
excited girl wildly, under her breath.

"Of course there is," she repeated. "There is nothing for opening the
eyes like seeing your true love at last."

"Then you _have_ explained matters, and I haven't a word to say,"
answered Jim, in a haughty voice.

He drew himself up,--his eyes looked straight into hers,--she shivered,
but did not flinch; the next moment he had turned on his heels and
walked away.

He walked quickly, leaving the miserable, distracted girl alone. He
thought he understood at last; Alison had another lover. Who could he
be? Jim had certainly never heard of anybody else. Still, this was
the true explanation--she had admitted as much herself.

"Go to Louisa Cl