‘I think you are,’ I replied softly, ‘and isn’t that enough?’

‘It isn’t enough—­I assure you it isn’t,’ he replied.  I noted that his eyes had a rather staring look and slight beads of perspiration had broken out on his forehead—­he must be a man of strong emotions.  ’It would be a most unfair thing for a man like me, with all my shortcomings, to inflict myself on any woman.’

‘Don’t be too modest about yourself,’ I put in encouragingly, and somewhat timidly laying my hand on his, I added, ’I like you as you are.’

‘Nothing would induce me to let you sacrifice yourself,’ he exclaimed hotly, ‘it would be monstrous, intolerable!’ He sprang to his feet as he spoke.  ‘I must go at once,’ he went on, ’we can never meet again, never, never!’

I rose also, going rather pale.  In that moment a dreadful thought came to me that perhaps I had made a mistake.  Yet there could have been no misconstruing what he had said to Elizabeth regarding his passion for me.

‘Stop, William!’ I cried as he retreated to the door, ’why are you so obtuse?  Don’t you understand how difficult you are making everything for me—­as well as for yourself!  What is all this talk of sacrifice and your unworthiness.  I don’t think you are unworthy.  I—­I—­love you—­isn’t it enough when I say that?’

[Illustration:  ‘Stop, William!’ Marion cried.]

Involuntarily I stretched out my hands to him as I spoke.  He has told me since that the sight of me standing there bathed in the light of the rose-shaded lamp, my eyes and lips unusually soft and tender (so he says), with my arms held out to him, forms a picture that he will never forget.  He looked at me for a moment in absolute silence, and appeared to be thinking deeply.  When at last he spoke he made an astonishing remark.  ‘What does it matter about me, after all?’ he murmured slowly, as if speaking to himself.  ’Good God, little woman, I was just about to act the part of a consummate cad and coward!’

He then strode up to me and continued in a serious tone:  ’If you care enough for me to take me with all my faults, I shall be proud to be your husband.’

After which he bent and kissed me very gravely on the forehead, and surprised me by walking out of the room.  It was the most remarkable proposal.  But then, in every way, my dear William is a most remarkable man.

CHAPTER XIX

There was something distinctly puzzling about Marion’s engagement to William.  It was William who puzzled me.  Instinctively I knew he was not happy.  Had I been instrumental in bringing about the match, I should have felt disturbed, but as it happened, they pulled it off without the slightest assistance from me.  It is the best way.  I am steadily determined never to involve myself in matrimonial schemes for any one in future.  Even when The Kid gets old enough to have love affairs, she will get my advice and sympathy, but no active co-operation on my part.