“No coward,” he said fiercely; “but a poor slighted man, whom you have wronged, jilted, and ill-used; and now you come to me to save your lover’s life—to give mine for it. You have robbed me of all that is pleasant between you; and now you ask more. Is it just?”
“Lieutenant Leigh, you are speaking madly. How can you be so unjust?” she cried, holding tightly by his arm; for he was turning away; while I felt mad with him for torturing the poor girl, when it was decided that the attempt was to be made.
“I am not unjust,” he said. “The hazard is too great. And what should I gain if I succeeded? Pshaw! Why, if he were saved, it would be at the expense of my own life.”
“I would die to save him!” she said hoarsely.
“I know it, Elsie; but you would not give a loving word to save me. You would send me out to my death without compunction—without a care; and yet you know how I have loved you.”
“You—you loved me, and yet stand and see my heart torn—see me suffer like, this!” cried Miss Ross, and there was something half wild in her looks as she spoke.
“Love you!” he cried; “yes, you know how I have loved you.”
His voice sank here; but he was talking in her ear excitedly, saying words that made her shrink from him up to the wall, and look at him as if he were some object of the greatest disgust.
“You can choose,” he said bitterly, as he saw her action; and he turned away from her.
The next moment she was on her knees before him, holding up her hands as if in prayer.