Maud remained bent. "I am not going to accept his conditions," she said, after a moment.
"Then he made conditions?" The question came sharp and querulous from the bed.
"One condition." Maud bent a little lower.
"What was it? My child, you must tell me. I have a right to know." Mrs. Sheppard raised herself to a sitting position. "What was this condition?"
Maud did not turn. "What does it matter what it was as I am not going to accept it," she said.
"You have refused?"
"I am going to refuse." There was utter weariness in her voice. She spoke as one to whom nothing mattered any more.
"Maud! Then you haven't actually refused him yet?" Mrs. Sheppard suddenly flung out her arms. "Maud--darling, come and tell me all about it!" she urged. "There is something behind that you haven't told me yet. Come here, dearest! Come to me!"
Maud turned an unwilling face over her shoulder. "I am too tired to-night, Mother," she said. "Besides, there is really nothing to tell. Charlie made me a certain proposal which--which I thought for a little that I might accept. I now realize that I can't and--and--" a faint quiver of vehemence crept into her voice,--"I want to forget that I ever thought I could. Please let me forget!"
"My dear child! Do you mean that he made you a proposal of marriage?" The eagerness of Mrs. Sheppard's query was scarcely veiled. Her eyes had the look of one in search of treasure.