You mustn't have anything to do with me."
He smiled, and rested his hand for a moment once more upon her thin
white fingers.
"Little girl," he said, "I believe in you, and that is quite enough. I
shall get a special license to-morrow."
She laughed a little hysterically.
"Forgive me," she said, wiping her eyes, "but over in New York they call
Englishmen slow. How dare you talk of special licenses, when I have told
you that I cannot, that I will not even think of marrying you!"
He looked at her with sudden keenness.
"Is there any one else?" he asked gravely.
She was forced to speak the truth.
"No, there is no one!" she said.
"Good!" he answered. "I thought not. As a matter of form, have you any
further reasons why you won't marry me?"
"I don't--care for you enough," she gasped.
"You will very soon," he answered reassuringly. "I really can make
myself quite an agreeable companion. You haven't seen enough of me yet.
Of course I know I'm rather taking you by storm, but I am not going to
leave you alone in a strange city, indulging in some melodramatic game
of hide and seek. You don't need to do that, Virginia. I am quite as
rich as ever you will want to be, and if any one has suffered in America
through your carelessness I think I can make amends for you more
completely than you can by trying to break the laws of this country.
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