"No," said she, "you're not speaking the truth. You'll leave me, and say those same words to your Sydney."
"Bother Sydney!" cried Harry, in unfeigned vexation.
At this Katie, whose head had been for a moment averted, now turned her tearful eyes on him, and Harry once more took her in his arms.
"But do you, after all," said she—"do you, after all, care for me just a little bit, Harry?"
"Care for you?" cried Harry, with headlong impetuosity. "I swear, Katie, that I love you better than all the world. I will give up everything for you. Will you do as much for me?"
"Why—why—how can I help it?" said Katie.
At this reply Harry kissed her again.
"You—you—offered your life for me," said Katie, in tearful agitation, "and didn't I almost give my life for you, you dear old boy? You don't know all yet. You don't know that it was for your sake only, and to save you from death, that I consented to sacrifice myself to that awful man."
Katie now told Harry the whole story, and the effect of this narration was only to intensify the ardent love of this volatile youth. While he had been face to face with Talbot, he had undergone a severe struggle from conflicting emotions and impulses. But, now Katie was before him, Talbot was present no longer; and Katie was so sweet, so tender, so trustful, and, above all, she had such a story to tell, that he could not resist. Talbot's claims on him became less and less perceptible in those new ones which Katie presented; and so the consequence was that he yielded up everything—his honor, his loyalty, and his duty.
"Katie," said he, as he pressed her in his arms, "I love you alone—I'll give up all for you. Let us fly from this place; let us fly. Let us not wait here where these other people are."