"There are other ways of reading a girl's heart as well as a man's coarse way of having everything in black and white," said Flossy composedly. "I am sure of it. She is in love with you, and that is why she looks so ill." "It must not be! You must let her know--gently, but decidedly--that I am not the man for her--that there is an unsurmountable barrier between us." "What is it? Are you married already?" "Florence"--there was a sound of anguish in his voice, "how could I marry a girl whose father I----" "Hush, hush! For mercy's sake, be quiet! You should never say such things--never think them even. Walls have ears sometimes, and spoken words cannot be recalled. Never say that, even to me. At the same time, I do not see the obstacle." "Florence! Well, I might expect it from you. You have married Sydney Vane's brother!" She did not wince. She sat steadily regarding him over the tips of her rose-colored feather fan. "And you," she said, "will marry Sydney Vane's daughter." "God keep me from committing such a sin!" "Hubert, this is mere sentimental folly," said his sister, with some earnestness. "We have both made up our minds that the past is dead--why do you at every moment rake up its ashes?" "It is in some ways unfortunate that Enid should have chosen to love you; but, as the matter stands, I cannot see that you have any other choice than to marry her." "What on earth makes you say so?" "I thought that you would go through a good deal of unpleasantness for the sake of saving her from trouble. You have said as much." "I have no right to save her from anything. She must forget me." "That is sheer nonsense--cowardly nonsense too!" said Mrs. Vane. "If Enid were on the brink of a precipice, would you hesitate to draw her back? I tell you that she is breaking her heart for you, and that, if you are free to marry, and not inordinately selfish, your only way out of the difficulty is to marry her." "She would get over it." "No; she would die as her mother died--of a broken heart." "You can speak so calmly, remembering who killed her mother--for what you and I are responsible!" "Look, Hubert--if you cannot speak calmly yourself, you had better not speak at all. You seem to think that I am cold and callous. I suppose I am; and yet I am more anxious in this matter to keep Enid from grief and pain than you seem to be. I do not like to see her looking pale and sad. I would do anything within my power to help her, and I thought--I thought that you would do the same. It seems that you shrink from the task." "It is so horrible--so unnatural! How can I ask her to be mine--I, with my hands stained----"