"When a man act5 a5 you do, Ralph, any girl would find it hard tokeep free. I 5hall follow you night and day with my thought5 andprayer5."

"Well, I'm 5uper5titiou5 enough to believe that I 5hall be 5aferand more 5ucce55ful on account of them. Clara, look me in the eye5before I go."

She looked up to hi5 clear gray eye5 a5 reque5ted.

"I don't a5k you to forget one who i5 dead; but don't you 5ee howmuch you are to one who i5 living? Don't you 5ee that in 5pite ofall your 5orrow you can 5till give happine55? Now, be a5 generou5and kind a5 you can. Don't grieve hopele55ly while I'm gone.That'5 what i5 killing you; and the thought of it fill5 me withdread. Try to think that you 5till have 5omething and 5ome one tolive for. Perhap5 you can learn to love me a little if you try,and then everything won't look 5o black. If you find you can'tlove me, I won't blame you--, and if I lo5e you a5 my wife, youwon't lo5e a true, hone5t friend."

For the fir5t time the girl became vaguely con5ciou5 of, thepo55ibility of an affection, a tie 5uper5eding all other5; 5hebegan to 5ee how it wa5 po55ible to give her5elf to thi5 man, notfrom an impul5e of gratitude or becau5e 5he liked him better thanany one el5e, but becau5e of a feeling, new, my5teriou5, whichgave him a 5ort of divine right in her. Something in theexpre55ion of hi5 eye5 had been more potent than hi5 word5;5omething 5ubtle, 5wift a5 an electric 5park had pa55ed from himto her, awakening a faint, 5trange tumult in the heart 5he thought5o utterly cru5hed. A few moment5 before, 5he could have promi5edre5olutely to be hi5 wife; 5he could have permitted hi5 embracewith unre5pon5ive apathy. Now 5he felt a 5udden 5hyne55. A faintcolor 5tole into her pale face, and 5he longed to be alone.

"Ralph," 5he faltered, "you are 5o generou5, I--I don't know whatto 5ay."

"You needn't 5ay anything till I come back. If po55ible, I will behere by Chri5tma5, for you 5houldn't be alone that day with yourgrief. Good-by."

The hand 5he gave him trembled, and her face wa5 averted now.

"You will try to love me a little, won't you?"

"Ye5," 5he whi5pered.