foolish--but
devotion, a long devotion, may change a woman's heart."

"No," she repeated, "I cannot change."

She seemed to be moving away from him. She was intangible and he could
not grasp her. But he raised his head proudly.

"I do not come as a beggar," he said. "I offer something besides
myself."

Her eyes flashed; she, too, showed her pride.

"I stand alone, I am nothing except myself, but my choice in the most
important matter that comes into a woman's life shall be as free as the
air."

She, too, raised her head and met him with an unflinching gaze.

"I also understand," he said moodily. "You love Prescott."

A flush swept over her face, and then retreating left it pale again, but
she was too proud to deny the charge. She would not utter an untruth nor
an evasion even on so delicate a subject. There was an armed truce of
silence between them for a few minutes, till the evil genius of the
Secretary rose and he felt again that desire to subject her will to his
own.

"If you love this young man, are you quite sure that he loves you?" he
asked in quiet tones.

"I will not discuss such a subject," she replied, flushing.

"But I choose to speak of it. You saw him at the President's house two
nights ago making obvious love to some one else--a married woman. Are
you sure that he is worthy?"

She maintained an obstinate silence, but became paler than ever.

"If so, you have a mighty faith," he went on relentlessly. "His face was
close to Mrs. Markham's. Her hair almost touched his cheek."

"I will not listen to you!" she cried.

"But you must. Richmond is ringing with talk about them. If I were a
woman I should wish my lover to come to me with a clean reputation, at
least."

He paused, but she would not speak. Her face was white and her teeth
were set firmly together.

"I wish you would go!" she said at last, with sudden fierceness.

"But I will not. I do not like you the least when you rage like a
lioness."

She sank back, coldness and quiet coming to her as suddenly as her anger
had leaped up.

"You have told me that you cannot love me," he said, "and I have shown
you that the man you love cannot love you. I refuse to go. Awhile since
I felt that I was powerless before you, and that I must abide by your
yea and nay; but I feel so no longer. Love, I take it, is a battle, and
I use a military simile because there is war about us. If a good
general wishes to take a position, and if he fails in t