In the flare of the station lamps her eyes flashed at him; he could see the passionate trembling of her mouth. The cab stopped, and they got out, and threaded their way among the crowd to the barriers. There was a train in ten minutes, Heriot learnt. "Shall we go to the waiting-room?" "No," said Miss Cheriton. "Forgive me what I said just now. I am sorry." "What does it matter?" "It was brutal." "Rather, perhaps. It was unexpected. You have failed me when I wanted you most." He took two first-class tickets--he wished to be alone with her, and he knew that she travelled "second." "I'm coming with you," he said. "But you can't have dined? Our suppers are not extensive." "Let us get in!" he answered. They had the compartment to themselves when the door banged, and he regarded her silently, with nerves that had escaped control. "I have warned you," she said. "It will be something out of a tin for certain, with vinegar over it." "Mamie!" There was rebuke in her expression. "Mamie," he repeated, "I love you. Why I dislike your going on the stage is because I want you myself. I was 'brutal' because I'm fond of you. Will you marry me?" She lay back against the darkness of the cushions, pale and startled. "Are you serious?" she said. "You--want to marry me? do you mean it?" "I mean it. I don't seem able to tell you how much I mean it. Can you like me well enough to be my wife?" "I do like you," she stammered; "but I hadn't an idea.... I never thought you thought----Oh, I'm sorry!" "Why? Why can't you say 'yes'?" "To marry you?" "I'll be very gentle to you," he said shakily. "I--for God's sake, don't judge my love for you by the way I put it! I haven't had much practice in love-making; it's a pity, perhaps. There's a word that says it all--I 'worship' you. My darling, what have you to look forward to? You've seen, you've tried, you know what an uphill life it will be. It's not as if I begged you to waive your hopes while you had encouragement to hope--you've made the attempt, and you know the difficulties now. Come to me instead. You shall live where you like--you can choose your own quarter. You can have everything you care for--books, pictures, theatres too. Oh, my sweet, come to me, and I'll fulfil every wish! Will you, Mamie?" "I can't," she said tremulously, "it wouldn't be fair." Her eyes shone at him, and she leant forward with parted lips. "I like you, I like you very much, but I don't--I'm not---- I've never been in love with anyone." "I'll be grateful for small mercies," said Heriot, with an unhappy laugh. "And I _could_ not do what you ask. If I fail, I fail; but I must persevere. I can't accept failure voluntarily--I can't stretch out my arms to it. I should despise myself if I gave in to-day. Even you----" "You know better than that!" he said.