There, in the compelling darkness, with danger waiting outside, they could not hide their souls from each other. "Colina," he whispered, "don't harden yourself against me to-night. I love you!"
Her breath came quickly. She could not speak. Her anger against Ambrose was, at the best, a pumped-up affair. She felt obliged to hate him because she loved her father. And her overweening pride had supported it. All this fell away now. She longed to believe in him.
Perceiving his advantage he followed it close.
"It may be the last night," he whispered. "I'm not afraid to speak of death to you. You're no coward. Colina, it would be hard to die thinking that you hated me!"
"Don't!" she murmured painfully. "Don't try to soften me. I need to be hard."
"Not to me," he whispered. "I love you!'"
She was silent. He heard her breathing on a shaken breast.
"If I knew it was my last word I should say the same," he went on. "I came back to Enterprise because I thought I had to come to save you!"
"It hasn't turned out that way, has it?" she said sadly and bitterly.
"There is some evil influence working against us all," he said. "If I live I shall show you."