'What would you do?' she said, a thrill or two having half but indefinitely revealed to her his drift.
'I don't know yet! Nor care! Most likely, try what music in Germany or Italy would do for me.'
'O, don't go!' cried Gertrude, 'don't!'
'Do you tell me not?'
'I don't know, but oh! my heart has ached, ached, ached, all this time, and somehow it aches rather less when you are here!'
'Dearest!' he exclaimed.
'Stay,' she said, pushing back her hair, and looking scared. 'I don't think it fair. You know I never could, if—if——-.'
'Of course not; I understand that,' said Lance; 'but is not that what I love you ten thousand times more for?'
'But I shall always care most for him!'
'Yes, yes, I know you must; but now I know that some day you may care a little for me, I can wait patiently, any time you please.'