"Miss Dolly," said Lawrence with some heat, "you know what I mean."
"Do I? But I did not know that I had to make up my mind about anything concerning you; I thought that was done long ago."
"And you do not like me any better now than you did then?"
"Perhaps I do," said Dolly slowly. "I always liked you, Mr. St. Leger, and I had cause. You have been a very kind friend to us."
"For your sake, Dolly."
"I am sorry for that," she said.
"And I have waited all this time in the hope that you would get accustomed to me, and your objections would wear away. You know what your father and mother wish concerning us. Does their wish not weigh with you?"
"No," said Dolly very quietly. "This is my affair, not theirs."
"It is their affair so far as your interests are involved. And I do not wish to praise myself; but you know they think that those interests would be secured by a marriage with me. And I believe I could make you happy, Dolly."
Dolly shook her head. "How could you?" she said. "We belong to two opposite parties, and are following two different lines of life. You would not like my way, and I should not like yours. How could either of us be happy?"