"What do you mean? I understood from Miss Brawn that you were engaged to marry him."
"Ah! that's just it. I was engaged, but now--he has gone away without a word. I don't believe he cares one bit about me."
"What a fool! Oh, Ruth, if you only knew!"
"I do know," she said, kindly; "you want me to be your wife. Well, I refused, because I could not really love you; but you know that I do like you extremely."
"Even that is something."
"And if it were not for Neil--well, I might bring myself to marry you."
"No," he said, firmly. "I also have my pride. Much as I want you to be my wife, I will not consent to that unless you can tell me that you love me."
"Won't liking do?"
"No,"--gruffly--"liking will certainly not do."
"I might grow to love you in time."