"What do you mean by 'nearly'?"
"Well, that I didn't want to. Besides, she knew I didn't care for her any more. She said so herself."
"To you, at that time?"
"Yes, sir. Lots of times."
"Well, yes, that's true—it was in all of those letters of hers that were read here. But when she refused so flatly, what did you do then?"
"Well, I didn't know what to do. But I thought maybe if I could get her to go up to her home for a while, while I tried and saved what I could—well ... maybe ... once she was up there and saw how much I didn't want to marry her——" (Clyde paused and fumbled at his lips. This lying was hard.)
"Yes, go on. And remember, the truth, however ashamed of it you may be, is better than any lie."
"And maybe when she was a little more frightened and not so determined——"
"Weren't you frightened, too?"
"Yes, sir, I was."