at is your love for
him, or his for you?--what is it, can it be? Love is not love unless it
is the love of true minds. That was said long ago, Greta, and how true
it is!" He went on quickly, in a tone of dull irritation: "All other
love is no better than lust. Greta, I understand you. It is not for a
rude man like my brother to do so." Then in an eager voice he said:
"Dearest, I bring you a love undreamed of among these country boors."

"Country boors!" she repeated in a half-stifled whisper.

He did not hear her. His vehement eyes swam, and he was dizzy.

"Greta, dearest, I said there has been little in my life to sweeten it.
Yet I am a man made to love and to be loved. My love for you has been
mute for months; but it can be mute no longer. Perhaps I have had my own
impediment, apart from our love for Paul. But that is all over now."

His cheeks quivered, his lips trembled, his voice swelled, his nervous
fingers were riveted to his palm. He approached her and took her hand.
She seemed to be benumbed by strong feeling. She had stood as one
transfixed, a slow paralysis of surprise laying hold of her faculties.
But at his touch her senses regained their mastery. She flung away his
hand. Her breast heaved. In a voice charged with indignation, she said:

"So this is what you mean! I understand you at last!"

Huge Ritson fell back a pace.

"Greta, hear me--hear me again!"

But she had found her voice indeed.

"Sir, you have outraged your brother's heart as surely as if at this
moment I had been your brother's wife!"

"Greta, think before you speak--think, I implore you!"

"I have thought! I have thought of you as your sister might think, and
spoken to you as my brother. Now I know how mean of soul you are!"

Hugh broke in passionately:

"For God's sake, stop! I am an unforgiving man."

His nostrils quivered, every nerve vibrated.

"Love? You never loved. If you knew what the word means you would die of
shame where you stand this instant."

Hugh lost all control.

"I bid you beware!" he said in wrath and dismay.

"And I bid you be silent!" said Greta, with an eloquent uplifting of the
hand. "You offer your love to a pledged woman. It is only base love that
is basely offered. It is bad coin, sir, and goes back dishonored."

Hugh Ritson regained some self-command. The contractions were deep about
his forehead, but he answered in an imperturbable voice:

"You shall never marry my brother!"

"I will--God