"
He knelt down beside her and put his arm about her.
"Listen to me, my darling," he said, and she shrank at the deep thrill in
his voice. "To me you are all that is beautiful and good and holy. I do
not want to know what lies behind you. I know you have had trouble. But
it is over. You may have made mistakes. But they are over, too. Tell me
nothing! Leave the past alone! Only give me your present and your future.
I shall be quite content."
He paused. She was shivering within his encircling arm. He could hear her
breath coming and going very quickly.
"You love me, darling," he said. "And is it necessary for me to tell you
that I worship you as no one ever has worshipped you before?"
He paused again. But Mab did not speak. The beautiful face was working
painfully. Her hands were tightly clasped in his.
"Child, what is it?" Merefleet said, conscious of a hidden barrier
between them. "Can't you trust yourself to me? Is that it? Are you afraid
of me? You didn't shrink from me yesterday."
She bowed her head. Yesterday she had wept in his arms. But to-day no
tears came. Only a halting whisper, a woman's cry of sheer weakness.
"Don't tempt me, Big Bear!" she murmured. "Oh, don't tempt me! I am
not--free!"
Merefleet's face grew stern.
"You did not say that yesterday," he said.
She heard the change in his tone, and looked up. She was better able to
meet this from him.
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