"I had misled you."
"Yes, and for a base and cruel purpose—to help me out of my trouble," and she raised her eyebrows as she smiled. "You must judge me curiously if you think I should consider that a cause for sacrificing the truest friend a helpless girl could have. I believe I could almost be angry with you for that judgment."
"But my helping you was, after all, only for a selfish purpose," I said after a pause.
"What was that?" she asked quickly, all unsuspecting.
"I loved you, Minna."
We were near the end of the gravel walk and, instead of turning as we had done before, I walked on past some large laurels which hid us from the house.
I stopped there and took her hand, which she left freely in mine.
"I have told you all now," I whispered. "Your answer?"
"This is the happiest day of my life," she murmured.
I put my arm round her and held her to my heart.