But she only clung to him, and called him brother. Alas! how could she leave him!
By and by he grew calmer.
'Forgive me, Polly; I am not myself; I ought not to have made you sing that song.'
'No, Rex,' in a voice scarcely audible.
'When you go back to Heriot you must tell him all. Ask him not to be hard on me. I never meant to injure him. The man you love is sacred in my eyes. It was only for a little while I hated him.'
'I will not tell him that.'
'Listen to me, dear! I ask his pardon, and yours too, for having betrayed myself. I have acted like a weak fool to-night. You were wiser than I, Polly.'
'There is nothing to forgive,' she returned, softly. 'Heriot will not be angry with you; he knows you are ill, and I—I will try to forget it. But you must get well, Rex; you will promise to get well for my sake.'
'Shall you grieve very much if I do not? Heriot would comfort you, if I did not, Polly.'
She made an involuntary movement towards him, and then checked herself.