“Sweet, you’re so beautiful,” he said finally, “I can’t give you up. I know what I ought to do. You know, too, I suppose; but I can’t. I must have you. If this should end in exposure, it would be quite bad for you and me. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know your brothers very well; but from looking at them I judge they’re pretty determined people. They think a great deal of you.”
“Indeed, they do.” Her vanity prinked slightly at this.
“They would probably want to kill me, and very promptly, for just this much. What do you think they would want to do if—well, if anything should happen, some time?”
He waited, watching her pretty face.
“But nothing need happen. We needn’t go any further.”
“Aileen!”
“I won’t look at you. You needn’t ask. I can’t.”
“Aileen! Do you mean that?”