The lover dropped in silence to the window seat and buried his face in his hands in a paroxysm of emotion beyond control.
At length he rose and looked at the girl he loved long and tenderly.
"God in heaven! It's inconceivable, when I took into your beautiful face! Have you no pity in your heart?"
The full lips smiled a cruel little smile.
"Men are strong, Jim. They can stand hard blows. You come of fighting stock. I know that you will survive——"
"And the solemn pledge of love and loyalty we gave to each other—this means nothing to you?"
"Our engagement was informal. The world knew nothing of it."
"No, but God knew, Nan, and our young souls were their own witness."
"I'm sorry to hurt you, Jim. But I must—it's fate; the big world, I somehow feel I'm akin to, is calling me and I'm going——"
"And Bivens is this big world! If you will throw me over for money, can't you wait until a real man goes with it? It wouldn't be so bad if I felt you had chosen one who was my equal physically and mentally in culture and breeding—but Bivens!"