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At last I was alone with Gladys, and theI had felt like the soldier aits the signal ill send him on a forlorn hope; hope of victory and fear of repulsealternating in his mind

She sat with that proud, delicate profile of hers outlined against thered curtain How beautiful she was! And yet how aloof! We had beenfriends, quite good friends; but never could I get beyond the saht have established with one of myfellow-reporters upon the Gazette,--perfectly frank, perfectly kindly,and perfectly unsexual My instincts are all against a wo toofrank and at her ease withbegins, tie from old wicked days when love and violence went often hand inhand The bent head, the averted eye, the faltering voice, the wincingfigure--these, and not the unshrinking gaze and frank reply, are thetrue signals of passion Even in my short life I had learned as muchas that--or had inherited it in that race memory which we call instinct

Gladys was full of every woed her to be coldand hard; but such a thought was treason That delicately bronzedskin, aleliquid eyes, the full but exquisite lips,--all the stigmata of passionwere there But I was sadly conscious that up to now I had never foundthe secret of drawing it forth However, co ht Shecould but refuse me, and better be a repulsed lover than an acceptedbrother

So far and uneasy silence, when two critical, dark eyes looked round atreproof "I have apresenti to propose, Ned I do wish youwouldn't; for things are so much nicer as they are"

I drew oing to propose?" I asked in genuine wonder

"Don't women always know? Do you suppose any woman in the world wasever taken unawares? But--oh, Ned, our friendship has been so good andso pleasant! What a pity to spoil it! Don't you feel how splendid itis that a youngwoman should be able to talk face toface as we have talked?"

"I don't know, Gladys You see, I can talk face to face with--with thestation-ine how that official ca "That does notsatisfy me in the least I want my arms round you, and your head on mybreast, and--oh, Gladys, I want----"

She had sprung frons that I proposed tode, Ned," shesaid "It's all so beautiful and natural until this kind of thingcomes in! It is such a pity! Why can't you control yourself?"

"I didn't invent it," I pleaded "It's nature It's love"

"Well, perhaps if both love, it may be different I have never feltit"