"But what will you think of me when I tell you that I had an inscription put on the inner circle? You had better read it, hadn't you?"
For an instant Leslie felt herself weakening as she saw their initials on the ring. With difficulty she restrained her tears, and it was with a sad little smile that she now handed him back the ring.
Then she shook her head.
"Eliot," she said in an unnatural voice, "I'm not blaming you. You did only what you thought you had the right to do. More than that, I may have led you on. But it can never be. No, don't come near me, please, I mean it. You don't know; you can't understand; things happen very suddenly, sometimes. I can't marry you, Eliot, that's all. I can't ... I can't...."
Beekman's face became scarlet, for there was something of the determination of her father in her voice.
"You've got to," he insisted, for he refused to believe that she was not for him.
But still she retreated before him.
"I can't talk about it," she repeated wearily, stubbornly.
"Will you tell me why?" he asked, forcing himself to be calm.