I took her hands in mine and we looked into each other's eyes for just a moment, then I caught her to me and crushed her in my embrace.
"Mary,—Mary,—Mary!" I cried brokenly. "Mary,—Mary!"
Gently and shyly, but smiling in her gladness, she freed herself from my enfolding arms.
"George,—sit down, dear. I have much to tell you before—before——"
A blush spread over her cheeks and she turned away in embarrassment.
"—Before what, Mary?" I craved.
"Before—I can listen to you.
"George!—I love you with all my heart. I have always loved you,—I could not help myself. That, I think, is why I quarrelled with you so,—at first. But I was afraid that my loving would avail me little and would probably cause you pain, for I was pledged to marry a man I did not love; and, because of that pledge, I was not free to give my love to any other man.
"George!—that man is dead now. He died a month ago in a street riot with some natives in Cairo.
"All his sins are covered up with him," she sighed. "And, after all, maybe Harry Brammerton was not——"