His pride was cruelly wounded, too, for he felt that if Cinthia had cared for him, she must surely have sent him an answer to the interrupted proposal he had made while they were leaving the steamer arm in arm.
“I spoke too soon and just frightened the shy darling, big, blundering fool that I was!” he thought, with keen humiliation, though he knew perfectly well that many a girl would have simply jumped at such a chance.
But he had realized that Cinthia was not one of them, and made up his mind, if he ever met her again, to besiege her heart with the most chivalrous wooing that ever won a maiden.
“Learn to win a lady’s faith
Nobly, as the thing is high,
Bravely, as for life or death
With a loyal gravity.
“Lead her from the festive boards,
Point her to the starry skies,
Guard her, by your truthful words,