"We must not delay our marriage much longer,” said Bertha, sweetly, “we really must not, Arthur; you must save me from that old bear. Oh, how I hate him!”
“Did he attempt to caress you?” asked Arthur.
“Yes,” replied Bertha, slowly, “but he only kissed me once.”
“Only kissed you once!” cried Arthur, and with a savage oath he pushed her from him.
“Arthur, you’ll break my heart,” she cried in stifled pain, and creeping closer to him she clasped his arm with both her hands. “He kissed me on the forehead. How could I help it? He is so overbearing and so determined—I did not know but he would turn me away from his home unless I humored and fooled him. Won’t you forgive me? How could I help it?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, clasping her passionately to his breast, “yes, I’ll forgive you; but you must go away from Rufus Grim’s house, and I will arrange matters and soon we will be married.”
“You make me so happy, Arthur; I could starve, yes, starve willingly with you, rather than live with any other man on earth.”
“I think we had better be married soon,” said Arthur, “say in two weeks?”
“Impossible!” lisped Bertha.
“No, not impossible,” replied Boast, almost savagely,