“Why, Samuel!” she exclaimed. “Miss Gladys,” he said in a low voice, “you told me that you loved me.” “Yes,” she said, “but surely--” And then suddenly she bit her lips together exclaiming, “This has gone too far!” “Miss Gladys!” he cried. “Samuel,” she said, “we have been two bad children; and we must not go on in this way.” The boy gave a gasp of amazement. “I had no idea that you were taking me so seriously,” she continued. “It wasn't fair to me.” “Then--then you don't love me!” he panted. “Why--perhaps,” she replied, “how can I tell? But one does not marry because one loves, Samuel.” He gazed at her, speechless. “I thought we were playing with each other; and I thought you understood it. It wasn't very wise, perhaps---” “Playing with each other!” whispered the boy, his voice almost gone. “You take everything with such frightful seriousness,” she protested. “Really, I don't think you had any right---” “Miss Gladys!” he cried in sudden anguish; and she stopped and stared at him, frightened. “Do you know what you have done to me?” he exclaimed. “Samuel,” she said in a trembling voice, “I am very much surprised and upset. I had no idea of such a thing; and you must stop, before it is too late.” “But I love you!” he cried, half beside himself. “Yes,” she said in great agitation--“and that's very good of you. But there are some things you must remember--” “You--you let me embrace you, Miss Gladys! You let me think of you so! Why, what is a man to do? What was I to make of it? I had never loved a woman before. And you--you led me on--” “Samuel, you must not talk like this!” she broke in. “I can't listen to you. It was a misunderstanding, and you must forget it all. You must go away. We must not meet again.” “Miss Gladys!” he cried in horror. “Yes,” she exclaimed, “you must go--” “You are going to turn me off!” he panted. “Oh, how can you say such a thing? Why, think what you have done to me!” “Samuel,” protested the girl angrily, “this is perfectly preposterous behavior of you! You have no right to go on in this way. You never had any right to--to think such things. How could you so forget your place?” And he started as if stung with a whip. “My place!” he gasped. “Yes,” she said. “I see, I see!” he burst out. “It's my 'place' again. It's the fact that I have no money!” “Why, Samuel!” she exclaimed. “What a thing to say! It's not that--”