"No!" said Gratton, but so promptly that she knew he lied.
"Well?" she said indifferently. "Suppose we have the explanations now? I am sure that they will prove interesting."
"I am afraid," he began, talking swiftly, "that I have been instrumental in placing you in a false position. Last night I told you I had telephoned to your mother. I did try; they reported the line out of order. What could I do? I didn't want to alarm you. It was only a lark; I meant innocently, you know that, don't you, Gloria?"
"Did you?" she said, and managed to keep her lips smiling.
"It is only since coming here that I have realized how things will look; what people will think—and say, curse them. Our being out so long together; my buying clothing for you——"
"Our being registered as Mr. and Mrs. Gratton——"
His eyes burned, his lips clamped tight.
"Forgive me, Gloria! It was the mad impulse of a moment. I thought as we went in that it would look strange—a young, unmarried couple; that if I put down man and wife no one would think anything at all. And we'd be gone in a few hours; and probably you'd never go back there; and no one would know who you were."
"I see." Gloria's tone, devoid of expression, gave no clue to her racing thoughts. "You did that for my sake!"
"Yes," he said eagerly. "As I would do anything on earth for your sake. You know that, Gloria; you know, and have known for a long time—always—that I love you. I was going to ask you soon to—to marry me, Gloria. And now, now you will marry me, won't you?"