Can you not see whither
these last four months have carried me?"

The sun struck slanting on the water and ran in tapering lustre to
our feet. The gilded ripple slipped and murmured below us; the
bronzed leaves overhead bent carefully to veil her answer. The bird
within the covert uttered an anxious note.

"They have carried you, it seems," she answered, with eyes gently
lowered, "back to the same place."

"They have carried me," I echoed, "from spring to summer. If they
have brought me back to this spot, it is because the place and I have
changed--Claire!"

As I called her by her Christian name she gave one quick glance, and
then turned her eyes away again. I could see the soft rose creeping
over her white neck and cheek. Had I offended? Between hope and
desperation, I continued--

"Claire--I will call you Claire, for that was the name you told me
just four months ago--I am changed, oh, changed past all remembrance!
Are you not changed at all? Am I still nothing to you?"

She put up her hand as if to ward off further speech, but spoke no
word herself.

"Answer me, Claire; give me some answer if only a word. Am I still
no more than the beggar who rescued your boat that day?"

"Of course, you are my friend--now. Please forget that I took you
for a beggar."

The words came with effort. Within the bushes the blackbird still
chirped expectant, and the ripple below murmured to the bank,
"The old story--the old story."

"But I am a beggar," I broke out. "Claire, I am always a beggar on
my knees before you. Oh, Claire!"

Her face was yet more averted--the sun kissed her waving locks with
soft lips of gold, the breeze half stirred the delicate draperies
around her. The blackbird's note was broken and halting as my own
speech.

"Claire, have you not guessed? will you never guess? Oh, have pity
on me!"

I could see the soft bosom heaving now. The little hand was pulling
at the gown. Her whole sweet shape drooped away from me in vague
alarm--but still no answer came.

"Courage! Courage!" chirped the bird, and the river murmured
responsive, "Courage!"

"Claire!"--and now there was a ring of agony in the voice; the tones
came alien and scarcely recognised--"Claire, I have watched and
waited for this day, and now that it has come, for good or for evil,
answer me--I love you!"

O time-honoured and most simple of propositions! "I love you!" Night
after night had I lain upon my bed rehearsing sp