"After seeing my old home again, I do," answered Gwen, passing quickly across the lawn. "Come down here and see the flowers." The gardens were a paradise of flowers and beautifully laid out. There were all kinds of nooks and arbours in odd corners, and many winding paths which led to pleasant glades. The trees were magnificent, and everywhere the place bloomed with blossoms. Hench was not quite sure if he did not like the gardens even better than the charming house. And what with the colour and scent of flowers, the heat of the day, the silence of the place, and the fact that he was walking long-side the girl he loved, the young man rather lost his head. In a rash moment he quoted Omar Khayyam's verse relative to the wilderness, the wine-cup, the loaf of bread, and of course "Thou!" Gwen blushed and flushed, and threw up her hand to stop him. They were standing near a marble bench under an oak tree, and on this she sat down. "I wish you would not speak to me like that," she said in vexed tones. "Why not, when I love you?" "You can't love in five minutes." "Romeo and Juliet did." "Ah, that is in a play. I am talking of real life. We have only known each other a very short time." "Undoubtedly. But then our introduction made for intimacy at once." "How unfair," murmured Gwen, looking down. "You are taking advantage of the fact that you saved my life." "If that is any bar to my loving you, I wish I hadn't." "Then you would have had no one to love," retorted the girl, who could not help smiling at the speech. Hench saw that smile. "Gwen, you don't dislike me?" he asked entreatingly. "No, I certainly do not. I like you, and so does Mrs. Perage." "Please leave Mrs. Perage out of the conversation. Does your saying that you like me mean that you love me?" "Liking doesn't mean love." "It's a step in the right direction, anyhow," said Hench cheerfully. "See here, Gwen, I have little to offer you, but with that little I give my heart. Now if----" "Don't say anything more just now," interrupted the girl, much distressed. "I cannot answer you." "You can say yes, or no." "I don't wish to say no." "Then that means yes!" cried Hench triumphantly, and his heart beat rapidly. "No"--Gwen pulled away the hand he had taken--"there is something you must know about me. I did not intend to tell you, but since you have spoken, I must be frank." She drew a long breath, while Owain fixed his brown eyes keenly on her disturbed face. "Have you heard anything against me in the village?" "No, I have not. But then I don't go into the village much, nor do I attend to gossip. All I know of you comes from Mrs. Bell, and she adores you." Gwen crossed her feet and folded her hands. "My father and I never got on well together," she said rapidly and in a low voice, looking down as she spoke. "He treated me very harshly, and we very often quarrelled." "That was not your fault, I swear," cried the lover impetuously.