“Ruth,” he said; and, as she opened her eyes, “forgive me.” He caught the hem of her dress and crushed it against his lips. “I could not let you do that. I could not let you sacrifice yourself.”
“It is no sacrifice. Do you not see? Oh! Can you not see that—I—love——?” She could not complete the sentence. Her head drooped.
“What! Ruth!” Steve stood her up on her feet and held her at arm’s length. “Ruth Welch, for God’s sake do not tell me that unless it is true.” His eyes were burning, and were fastened on her face with a gaze that seemed almost to scorch her.
“It is true,” she said, in a low voice, and tried to turn her face away. Steve did not stir.
“Wait,” he said, hoarsely. “Does your mother know of this?”
“Yes.” She was looking in his eyes now quite calmly.
“Where is she?”
“In the next room.”
Steve suddenly caught her in his arms.
