of the new arm-chairs (looking, it must be
confessed, much more comfortable than before), and began to talk in a
fluent general way, approaching no topics that were personal. Meanwhile
old Nora, hearing from Li that the benefactor of the household was
present, appeared, strong in the new richness of her store-room, at the
door, and dropping a courtesy, wished to know at what hour it would
please him to dine. She said "your honor"; she had almost said "your
highness." Her homage was so sincere that Anne smiled, and Dexter
laughed outright.

"You see I am expected to stay, whether you wish it or not," he said.
"Do let me; it shall be for the last time." Then turning to Nora, he
said, "At four." And with another reverence, the old woman withdrew.

"It is a viciously disagreeable afternoon. You would not, I think, have
the heart to turn out even a dog," he continued, leaning back at ease,
and looking at his hostess, his eyes shining with amusement: he was
reading her objections, and triumphing over them. Then, as he saw her
soberness deepen, he grew grave immediately. "I am staying to-day
because I wish to talk with you, Anne," he said. "I shall not come
again. I know as well as you do, of course, that you can not receive me
while you have no better chaperon than Nora." He paused, looking at her
downcast face. "You do not like what I have done?"

"No."

"Why?"

"You have loaded me with too heavy an obligation."

"Any other reason?"

"I can never repay you."

"In addition?"

"It is not right that you should treat me as though I were a child."

"I knew you would object, and strongly; yet I hope to bring you over yet
to my view of the case," said Dexter. "You say that I have placed you
under too heavy an obligation. But pray consider what a slight affair
the little gift seems to me. The house is very small; I have spent but a
few hundreds; in all, with the exception of the shawl and furs, not much
over five. What is that to an income like mine? You say you can never
repay me. You repay me by accepting. It seems to me a noble quality to
accept, simply and generously accept; and I have believed that yours was
a noble nature. Accept, then, generously what it is such a pleasure to
me to give. On my own side, I say this: the woman Gregory Dexter once
asked to be his wife shall not suffer from want while Gregory Dexter
lives, and knows where to find her. This has nothing to do with you; it
is my side of the subject."