"You have: you have taken away the love of the man I am engaged to—the man I worship."
"Now listen to me, Kitty. You really must allow your common-sense to come to the fore. I am not going to tell you a lie. As you have put the question to me, I shall answer you frankly. Were you not engaged to Gavon Keith, did you not love Gavon, it is just possible—I do not say any more—that I might love him. But as you are engaged to him, the thought to me of taking him from you is as impossible as that I should be faithless now in Ladysmith to the Queen. Won't you understand that, little sister? won't you believe it? Have I ever to your knowledge done a downright mean thing, that you should think me capable of doing this greatest of all sins now?"
"Oh dear!" gasped Kitty. "But he is often in the ward with you, and I know that he—he cares for you."
"He has never been unfaithful to you; and what you have got to do is to keep well for his sake, and to be brave for his sake. You must try to learn so to live that he shall not think small things of you. Believe me, I am right in saying this. Your character must grow too, and your love shall make you noble. Won't you try, dear, to live differently in the future?"
"I can't! I can't! And your words don't comfort me a bit. What are words, after all? It is actions that I want."
"You want me to prove my words; in what way?"
"You must do something for me; you must do something to put matters straight between Gavon and me. Will you?"
"I will do anything in my power," replied Mollie, but her voice had grown suddenly tired and faint.
"Will you really and truly, and from your very heart, prove your love for me in that way?"
"Really and truly, and from my very heart."