“There,” he said when, after the struggle, that mystic something between them spoke again, and she relaxed. Tears were in her eyes, but he did not see them. “Don’t you see how it is? You like me too.”
“I can’t,” she repeated, with a sob.
Her evident distress touched him. “You’re not crying, little girl, are you?” he asked.
She made no answer.
“I’m sorry,” he went on. “I’ll not say anything more to-night. We’re almost at your home. I’m leaving to-morrow, but I’ll see you again. Yes, I will, sweet. I can’t give you up now. I’ll do anything in reason to make it easy for you, but I can’t, do you hear?”
She shook her head.
“Here’s where you get out,” he said, as the carriage drew up near the corner. He could see the evening lamp gleaming behind the Gerhardt cottage curtains.
“Good-by,” he said as she stepped out.
“Good-by,” she murmured.
“Remember,” he said, “this is just the beginning.”