"I do not believe that Teddy is fickle. If I thought so, I would beg him to release me from my promise. But he loves me truly, in spite of his past, and so I must be true to him," sadly replied Kathleen.
"And your marriage day is set?" he asked, gloomily.
"It is only two weeks from now," she replied; then her courage failed her; she burst into tears, and sobbed miserably against his shoulder.
Ralph tried to soothe her, whispering:
"If he knew you cared like this—for—me—he would not want to marry you. No true lover would accept the hand without the heart."
"He must never know—for—I—I—shall learn to love him by and by. Mrs. Stone says so; they all say so," she whispered.
"They are driving you into a—a—a wretched future with their silly advice!" cried the young man, violently, despair goading him to desperation. He pushed her from him and rose to his feet.
"I have been deluding myself," he said, bitterly. "I thought you loved me. I was mistaken, I see. I will never humble myself to you again, proud Kathleen. From this moment to my life's end, we are strangers. Farewell!" and with a stately bow he was gone.
Kathleen sprung to her feet with wild despair at her loss.
"Oh, Ralph! come back!" she cried, faintly; but he was beyond the reach of her voice.