"What a very strange woman you are, Mrs. Home! I must say I cannot understand you."
"You will never understand me. But it does not matter, we are not likely to meet again. I saw you for the first time yesterday. I love you, I thank you. You are a rich and prosperous young lady, you won't be too proud to accept my thanks and my love. Now good-bye."
"No, you are not going in that fashion. I do not see why you should go at all; you have told me your story, it only proves that you want money very much, there is nothing at all to prevent your becoming my amanuensis."
"I cannot, I must not. Let me go."
"But why? I do not understand."
"You will never understand. I can only repeat that I must not come here."
Mrs. Home could look proud when she liked. It was now Miss Harman's turn to become the suppliant; with a softness of manner which in so noble-looking a girl was simply bewitching, she said gently——
"You confess that you love me."
Mrs. Home's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I do I am going away," she said.