“Mr. Foote asked me to marry him, last night,” she said, and stopped.  “That is why he took me out to the lake. ...  I hadn’t any idea of it before.  I didn’t know...  He was honest and sincere.  At first I was astonished.  I tried to stop him.  I was going to tell him I loved you and that we were going to be married.”  She stopped again, and went on with an effort.  “Then something came to me—­and it frightened me.  All the time he was talking to me I kept on thinking about it... and I didn’t want to think about it because of—­you. ...  You know I want to do something for the Cause—­something big, something great!  It’s hard for a woman to do such a thing—­but I saw a chance.  It was a hard chance, a bitter chance, but it was there. ...  I’m not a doll.  I think I could be strong.  He’s just a boy, and I am strong enough to influence him. ...  And I thought how his wife could help.  Don’t you see?  He will own thousands of laboring men—­thousands and thousands.  If I married him I could do—­what couldn’t I do?—­for them.  I would make him see through my eyes.  I would make him understand.  My work would be to make him better conditions, to give those thousands of men what they are entitled to, to give them all men like you and like my father have taught me they ought to have. ...  I could do it.  I know.  Think of it—­thousands of men, and then—­wives and children, made happier, made contented, given their fair share—­and by me!...  That’s what I thought about—­and so—­so I didn’t refuse him.  I didn’t tell him about you. ...  I told him I’d give him my answer—­later. ...”

His face had changed from sullenness to relief, from relief to astonishment, then to black anger.

“Your answer,” he said, passionately.  “What answer could you give but one?  You’re mine.  You’ve promised me.  That’s the answer you’ll give him. ...  You thought.  I know what you thought.  You thought about his money—­about his millions.  You thought what his wife would have, how she would live.  You thought about luxuries, about automobiles, about jewels. ...  Laboring men!...  Hell!  He showed you the kingdoms of the earth—­and you wanted them.  He offered to buy you—­and you looked at the price and it was enough to tempt you. ...  You’ll give him no answer.  I’ll give it to him, and it’ll be the same kind of answer I gave him last night. ...  But this time he won’t get up so quick.  This time...”

“Stop!...  That’s not true.  You know it’s not true. ...  I’ve promised to marry you—­and I’ve loved you.  Yes, I’ve loved you. ...  I’m glad of that.  It makes the sacrifice real.  It makes all the more I have to give. ...  Father gave his life.  You’re giving your life and your strength and your abilities. ...  I want to give, too, and so I’m glad, glad that I love you-and that I can give that. ...  If I didn’t love you, if I did care for Mr. Foote, it would be different.  I would be afraid I was marrying him because of what he is and what he has. ...  But