n
what is all the world to me!"

Cyn's face grew red as was the sky when the sun had gone down.

"Do you mean to insinuate that I am in love with Clem?" she asked,
angrily.

"I would not insinuate it for all the world, if you are not," was Jo's
eager reply; "I am not experienced in love matters, but I am quite sure
he loves you--and he is very handsome," he added ruefully.

"What a dreadful combination of circumstances!" cried Cyn, distractedly.
"But, pshaw! It's impossible!"

"Impossible? No, indeed! Why, it was by being so jealous of him that I
first awoke to the fact that I was in love with you myself. Besides,
every one has noticed his fondness for you."

"They have?" vehemently, and smiting the rock where she sat with her
hand, as she spoke. "But this is truly awful!"

"Then you do not care for him?" questioned Jo, joyfully.

"Care for him?" repeated Cyn, irritably. "Of course I care for him! Is
it not my pet scheme that he should marry Nattie? Certainly it is, and
has been from the first! And now, if he has gone and fallen in love with
_me_, a nice predicament we will all be in. But you must be mistaken! I
cannot believe him capable of such a thing! The only reason I have to
fear it is that I would not have credited it of _you_ yesterday!"

"But you see I do love you. You believe I do, do you not, Cyn?" asked
Jo, too eager to press his own suit to give much thought to Nattie and
Clem. "Why will you not try and love me, as you do not love Clem? Am I
so homely as to be repulsive to you?"

"Homely? Nonsense!" replied Cyn, momentarily putting aside her newest
anxiety for the previous one, "now I come to think of it, I had rather
marry you than any man I know!"

"Would you? Would you really?" seizing her hand hopefully. "Then why
will you not?"

Cyn allowed her hand to remain in his as she said slowly and
impressively,

"I cannot marry. That is entirely out of the question for me. Of my
life, love can form no part!"

"But I thought you believed in love?" said Jo, looking perplexed, but
clinging to her hand as a sort of anchor.

"I do. I believe it is the best happiness of life. But it cannot be for
me. Why, I will tell you. I owe this much in return for what you have
given me; what I prize even though I am compelled to refuse it. What
stands between us is the memory of a love--gone forever."

"What!" exclaimed Jo, astounded in his turn. "You do not mean to say
that you--that you--_you_, the gayest