"I certainly do mean something of the kind; but there will be plenty of time to discuss that. You cannot decide on your future plans without a good deal of consideration. At present I have something else to say, something for which I wish I could find adequate words. I don't know," stammering and hesitating, "how I am to thank you for your goodness, your generosity--" "Mr. Clayton," stopping him, "will you do me one favor?" "What is that?" "I know what you are going to say, please let it be unsaid." "But that is impossible." "It need not be impossible. Why should there be any talk of such things between us?" "Because it is right that there should be such talk. Do you think that I am to say nothing at all about my gratitude?" "Not to me," raising her eyes with a pleading look in them that he found difficult to resist. "If we talk of gratitude you know it is I that am your debtor. Have you forgotten how good you were to us when we were poor and friendless?" "I have forgotten nothing," he returned, hastily; "but, all the same, you must let me speak. I am largely in your debt, Miss Marriott, and for what is to me a very serious sum; but I do hope that in less than two years' time I may be able to repay both interest and capital." "As you will," she replied carelessly, but he saw that she was much hurt. What could this paltry sum matter to her? Could he not understand how great had been the privilege of helping him? "You must try to comprehend how we business men feel about such things," he said gently to her, for there were tears in her eyes, and her face was averted from him. "It is too late now, but I wish you had given me the option of accepting or refusing the loan." "How could I, when I knew you would have refused it from me?" walking on quickly as though afraid of her emotion. "If I had my refusal would not have hurt you, I would have made you understand my feelings so thoroughly; but of course it is too late to talk about that now. I suppose I am very proud, but I cannot bear the thought of this debt being between us; all my life I have had such a horror of this sort of difficulty and being beholden to any one." "How can you, how can you be so proud with me?" burst forth from her lips. "Do you mean that this--this trifling act of kindness will come between us and hinder us from being friends?" "We must always be friends, I think," he returned, still more gently, for he saw how sorely he was hurting her. "Why should you say such things? you are vexed with me or you would not say them. I wish I could make you understand how truly grateful Langley and I am." "Langley will not talk to me about principal and interest," she retorted with a little flash of indignation, "and--and I could not have believed that you would have done it."