useless.

On the instant he makes up his mind to risk the proposal. In all
probability she will say "No" to it. But if not--if she accepts
him--he swears to himself he will be true to her.

"The most dreadful thing you could do," says he, "would be to marry
a man who did not love you."

"Eh?" says she.

She seems surprised.

"To marry a man, then, with whom you weren't in love!"

"Oh, _that_, that's nothing," says she grandly. "I'd do a great deal
more than _that_ to get away from my uncle. But"--sorrowfully--
"nobody's asked me."

She says it so innocently, so sweetly, that Rylton's heart grows
cold within him. To ask her! To tempt this child----

"But," says he, looking away from her religiously, "would you marry
a man who was not in love with _you?"_

"Not in love with me?"

"No. Not actually in love, but who admired--liked you?"

"But a man who wasn't in love with me wouldn't want to marry me,"