"Then it will come," said he, taking my hand again; "if you can say that, it will come. I will wait."
"No, it will not come," I said, as we looked one another in the face. "I can be only a friend. May I not be that?"
He eyed me keenly, I saw, and my eyes for a moment fell. He let go my hand again.
"Then, I understand," - he said. "Shall we go? I believe it is time."
"Where is mamma?" I asked, looking about in some bewilderment now.
"Mrs. Randolph and the rest have gone on; they are some distance ahead of us by this time."
And what were they all thinking too, by this time! In great dismay I turned to go after them with my unwelcome companion. We walked in silence; I blaming myself greatly for stupidness and blindness and selfish preoccupation, which had made me look at nobody's affairs but my own; and grieving sadly too for the mischief I had done.
"Mayn't we be friends, Mr. Marshall?" I said somewhat timidly at last; for I could not bear the silence.
"I can never be anything else," he said. "You may always command me. But I have not misunderstood you, Daisy? You meant to tell me that - some one has been more fortunate than I, and been beforehand with me ?"
"I did not mean to tell you that," I said in a good deal of confusion.