Wanda threw her arms around my neck, looked into my eyes, and shook
her head.

"I am afraid I can't, but I will try, for your sake, for I love you
Severin, as I have loved no other man."

* * * * *

To-day she suddenly took her hat and shawl, and I had to go shopping
with her. She looked at whips, long whips with a short handle, the
kind that are used on dogs.

"Are these satisfactory?" said the shopkeeper.

"No, they are much too small," replied Wanda, with a side-glance at
me. "I need a large--"

"For a bull-dog, I suppose?" opined the merchant.

"Yes," she exclaimed, "of the kind that are used in Russia for
intractable slaves."

She looked further and finally selected a whip, at whose sight I
felt a strange creeping sensation.

"Now good-by, Severin," she said. "I have some other purchases to
make, but you can't go along."

I left her and took a walk. On the way back I saw Wanda coming out