"Well," he said, with an effort, "I will not. I see I cannot touch your heart yet. But the time will come. You cannot stand against a love like mine. And you will let our marriage be soon?" "Yes," she said, simply. He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed it, hungrily, and she forced back the shudder which threatened to overmaster her. "By soon," he murmured, as they walked toward the house, "I mean quite soon--before the winter." Stella did not speak. "Let it be next month, darling," he murmured. "I shall not feel sure of you until you are my very own. Once you are mine beyond question, I will teach you to love me." Stella looked at him, and a strange, despairing smile, more bitter and sad than tears, shone on her pale lips. Teach her to love him! As if love could be taught! "I am not afraid," he said, answering her smile; "no one could withstand it--not even you, though your heart were adamant." "It is not that," she said, in a low voice, as she thought of the dull aching which was its pittance by day and night. They went into the house. Mr. Etheridge was wandering about the room, smoking his pipe, his head upon his breast, buried in thought, as usual. Frank was lying back in the old arm-chair; he looked wearily-fragile and delicate, but the beautiful color shone in his face. He looked up and nodded as Jasper entered, but Jasper was not satisfied with the nod, and went over to him and laid a hand upon his shoulder, at which the boy winced and shrank faintly; he never could bear Jasper to touch him, and always resented it. "Well, Frank," he said, with his faint smile, "how's the cold to-night?" Frank murmured something indistinctly, and shifted in his seat. "Not so well, eh?" said Jasper. "It seems to me that a change would do you good. What do you say to going away for a little while?" The boy looked up at Stella with a glance of alarm. Leave Stella! "I don't want to go away," he said, shortly. "I am quite well. I hate a change." Stella came up to his chair, and knelt beside him. "It would do you good, dear," she said, in her low, musical voice. He bent near her. "Do you mean--alone?" he asked. "I don't want to go alone--I won't, in fact." "No, not alone, certainly," said Jasper, with his smile. "I think some one else wants a change too." And he looked at Stella tenderly. "I'll go if Stella goes," said Frank, curtly. "What do you say, sir?" said Jasper to the old man. He stared, and the proposal had to be put to him _in extenso_; he had not heard a word of what had been said. "Go away! yes, if you like. But why? Frank's cold? I don't suppose any other place is better for a cold is it? It is? Very well then. You don't want me to come, I suppose?" "Well----" said Jasper.