Hume drew in his breath and turned his head away.
“Is that why you came?” he said, with his face still averted.
“Hume, look at me! Ah! you love her also?”
Hume bowed his head.
“And has your love already darkened your heart to me? Lad, you are wrong. God knows I would let nothing come between you and me, still less because of your love for her; but if you are suspicious of me, you have the remedy.”
“And what is that?” asked Hume quickly, suspecting that Webster would offer to draw out.
“Why, marry her now. It is your opportunity. She is distressed, and would see in marriage a way out of the difficulty.”
Hume’s brows cleared; he smiled, and stretched forth his hand.
“No, no,” he said, “that would be taking a mean advantage of her. We know each other’s secret, and let us forget, treating her as our dearest friend, and beloved sister; then when all is done, and she is once more settled, let each do his best to win her.”
“That is fair, Frank; but she is not for me, and I never dreamt she was. You will let nothing come between us.”