“Then you don’t class me with the other poor devils at least?” he asked hopefully.
“No, no, they were handsome boys and made me beautiful speeches. But you are distinguished. You are a man that everybody would look at twice in a crowd. You are a famous young orator who can hold thousands breathless with eloquence. I thought you would make me the most beautiful speech. But you acted like a school boy, stammered, looked foolish, and pawed a hole in the ground!” Again she laughed.
“I confess, Miss Sallie, I was never so overwhelmed with terror and nervousness by an audience before.”
“And just one girl to hear!”
“Yes, but she counts more with me than all the other millions, and one kind look from her eyes I would hold dearer at this moment than a conquered world’s applause.”
“That’s fine! That’s something like it. Say more!” she cried.
His face clouded and he looked earnestly at her.
“Come, come, Miss Sallie, this is too cruel. I have torn my heart’s deepest secrets open to you, and tremblingly laid my life at your feet, and you are laughing at me. I have paid you the highest homage one human soul can offer another. Surely I deserve better than this?”
“There, you do. Forgive me. I have seen so much shallow love making, I am never quite sure a boy’s in dead earnest.” She spoke now with seriousness.
“You cannot doubt my earnestness. I have spoken to you this morning the first words of love that ever passed my lips. One chamber of my soul has always been sacred. It was the throne room of Love, reserved for the One Woman waiting for me somewhere whom I should find. I would not allow an angel to enter it, and I hid it from the face of God. I have opened it this morning. It is yours.”