How beautiful she was as she stood pleading the cause of the Mormons! His whole soul thrilled with the perfection of her! If he should sacrifice a little materially, what was that to gaining her love?
"And if I should grant you this request, what would you do for me?" he asked, smiling down at her.
"Oh, anything you could ask of me!" she declared in extravagant delight.
Before Venna realized what had happened, his arm had encircled her waist and his kiss was upon her cheek.
Venna drew back quickly and faced him in astonished anger.
"How dare you!" she said, trembling like a frightened child.
"I dare because I love you, Venna. God knows how much. It's the best that's in me that loves you, not the worst. It is not my fault that I love you, or that you love me, as I believe you do. You resent my love from duty, don't you? You think I'll think less of you if you love me? No, dear, love is love's excuse. The world wouldn't understand, but the world needn't know. You and I can love ideally without the aid of the law, can't we?"
Venna listened to this man, and watched his fine eloquent eyes convey his devotion to her while speaking. There was no doubting his sincerity.
What a paradox! A Christian minister asking love of a married woman without a twinge of conscience! Surely the world was whirling around and morality was simply a question mark!
Steadily she looked at him in silence, trying to fathom his nature and understand.