Chapter 10 - Page 2

absolutely no affection for her?"

Roderick placed his hand on his heart and held it there a moment.
"Dead--dead--dead!" he said at last.

"I wonder," Rowland asked presently, "if you begin to comprehend the
beauty of Miss Garland's character. She is a person of the highest
merit."

"Evidently--or I would not have cared for her!"

"Has that no charm for you now?"

"Oh, don't force a fellow to say rude things!"

"Well, I can only say that you don't know what you are giving up."

Roderick gave a quickened glance. "Do you know, so well?"

"I admire her immeasurably."

Roderick smiled, we may almost say sympathetically. "You have not wasted
time."

Rowland's thoughts were crowding upon him fast. If Roderick was
resolute, why oppose him? If Mary was to be sacrificed, why, in that
way, try to save her? There was another way; it only needed a little
presumption to make it possible. Rowland tried, mentally, to summon
presumption to his aid; but whether it came or not, it found conscience
there before it. Conscience had only three words, but they were cogent.
"For her sake--for her sake," it dumbly murmured, and Rowland resumed
his argument. "I don't know what I would n't do," he said, "rather than
that Miss Garland should suffer."

"There is one thing to be said," Roderick answered reflectively. "She is
very strong."

"Well, then, if she 's strong, believe that with a longer chance, a
better chance, she will still regain your affection."

"Do you know what you ask?" cried Roderick. "Make love to a girl I
hate?"

"You hate?"

"As her lover, I should hate her!"

"Listen to me!" said Rowland with vehemence.

"No, listen you to me! Do you really urge my marrying a woman who would
bore me to death? I would let her know it in very good season, and then
where would she be?"

Rowland walked the length of the room a couple of times and then stopped
suddenly. "Go your way, then! Say all this to her, not to me!"

"To her? I am afraid of her; I want you to help me."

"My dear Roderick," said Rowland with an eloquent smile, "I can help you
no more!"

Roderick frowned, hesitated a moment, and then took his hat. "Oh, well,"
he said, "I am not so afraid of her as all that!" And he turned, as if
to depart.

"Stop!" cried Rowland, as he laid his hand on the door.

Roderick paused and stood waiting, with his irritated brow.