"Open the door for one moment, that you may listen to me. Open the door, and I will tell you all. I will go instantly when I have spoken to you, Linda; I will indeed." Then she opened the door. Why should she be a barred-up prisoner in her own house? What was there that she need fear? She had done nothing that was wrong, and would do nothing wrong. Of course, she would tell her aunt. If the man would force his way into the house, climbing in through an open window, how could she help it? If her aunt chose to misbelieve her, let it be so. There was need now that she should call upon herself for strength. All heaven and earth together should not make her marry Peter Steinmarc. Nor should earth and the evil one combined make her give herself to a young man after any fashion that should disgrace her mother's memory or her father's name. If her aunt doubted her, the sorrow would be great, but she must bear it. "You have no right here," she said as soon as she was confronted with the young man. "You know that you should not be here. Go away." "Linda, I love you." "I don't want your love." "And now they tell me that my cousin Peter is to be your husband." "No, no. He will never be my husband." "You will promise that?" "He will never be my husband." "Thanks, dearest; a thousand thanks for that. But your aunt is his friend. Is it not true?" "Of course she is his friend." "And would give you to him?" "I am not hers to give. I am not to be given away at all. I choose to stay as I am. You know that you are very wicked to be here; but I believe you want to get me into trouble." "Oh, Linda!" "Then go. If you wish me to forgive you, go instantly." "Say that you love me, and I will be gone at once." "I will not say it." "And do you not love me,--a little? Oh, Linda, you are so dear to me!" "Why do you not go? They tell me evil things of you, and now I believe them. If you were not very wicked you would not come upon me here, in this way, when I am alone, doing all that you possibly can to make me wretched." "I would give all the world to make you happy." "I have never believed what they said of you. I always thought that they were ill-natured and prejudiced, and that they spoke falsehoods. But now I shall believe them. Now I know that you are very wicked. You have no right to stand here. Why do you not go when I bid you?" "But you forgive me?" "Yes, if you go now,--at once." Then he seized her hand and kissed it. "Dearest Linda, remember that I shall always love you; always be thinking of you; always hoping that you will some day love me a little. Now I am gone." "But which way?" said Linda--"you cannot jump back to the boat. The pole is gone. At the door they will see you from the windows."