am. But,
Jim, mothers is all that way."

"All that way?" he asked, regarding her with a speculative eye.

"Mothers," she repeated, "is all that way."

"Well," said he, swiftly advancing, "lovers isn't."

"Keep back!" she cried.

"No, I won't."

"You'll make a cat of me. I warn you, Jim!"

"You can't keep me off. You said you loved me. You do love me. You
can't help yourself. You got to marry me."

She retreated. "Leave me alone!" she screamed. "I can't. Don't you
see how it is? Quit that, now, Jim! You ain't fair. Take your arms
away. God help me! I love you, you great big brute! You know I do.
You ain't fair.... Stop! You hurt me." She was now in his arms--but
still resisting. "Leave me alone," she whimpered. "You hurt me. You
ain't fair. You know I love you--and you ain't fair.... Oh, God
forgive me! Don't do that again, Jim. Stop! Let me go. For God's
sake, stop kissing me! I like you, Jim. I ain't denying that. But
let me go.... Please, Jim! Don't hold me so tight. It ain't fair....
Oh, it ain't fair...."

She sank against his broad breast; and there she lay helpless--bitterly
sobbing.

"Don't cry, Millie!" he whispered.

Still she sobbed.

"Oh, don't cry, girl!" he repeated, tenderly. "It's all right. I
won't hurt you. You love me, and I love you. That's all right,
Millie. What's the matter with you, girl? Lift your face, won't you?"

"No, no!"

"Why not, Millie?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "I think I'm--ashamed."

There was no longer need to hold her fast. His arms relaxed. She did
not move from them. And while they stood thus, in the moonlight,
falling brightly through the window, he stroked her hair, murmuring,
the while, all the reassuring words at his command.

"The boy's gone," he said, at last. "You'd be all alone without me.
He ain't here. But he's well looked after, Millie. Don't you fret
about him. By this time he's sound asleep."

She slipped from his embrace. He made no effort to detain her:
conceiving her secure in his possession. A moment she stood staring at
the floor, lost to her surroundings: then quickly turned to look upon
him--her face aglow with some high tenderness.

"Asleep?" she asked, her voice low, tremulous.

"Sound asleep."

"How do you know that he's asleep?" she pursued. "Asleep? No; he
ain't asleep." She paused--now woebegone. "He's wide awake--waiting,"
she went on. "He's waiting--just like he u