“I—You mustn’t call me that!”
“Very well, I won’t—yet. But I think of you as Laura——”
“I don’t want you to!”
“Then I’ll try not to,” he answered gently. “But—couldn’t you make me very happy by telling me that I’ve got a chance with you, dear? Just the ghost of a chance?”
The bowed head shook negatively.
“You won’t? Or—you can’t?”
“I—I won’t,” she whispered.
He uttered a cry and strove to draw her toward him, but she resisted with all her strength.
“Please! Please!” she gasped.