Of her own free will she laid her hand upon his. He fancied that behind her veil the tears had gathered in her eyes. "Dear friend," she said softly, "I cannot marry you! I shall never marry any one. Will you please believe that? It will make it so much easier for me." He was a little taken aback. She had changed her methods suddenly, and he had had no time to adapt himself to them. "Don't hate me, please," she murmured. "Indeed, it would make me very happy if we could be friends." He laughed a little unnaturally, and turned in his seat until he was facing her. "Would you mind lifting your veil for a moment, Louise?" he asked her. She obeyed him with fingers which trembled a little. He saw then that the tears had indeed been in her eyes. Her lips quivered. She looked at him sadly, but very wistfully. "Thank you!" he said. "Now would you mind asking yourself whether friendship between us is possible! Remember St. Étarpe, and ask yourself that! Remember our seat amongst the roses--remember what you will of that long golden day." She covered her face with her hands. "Ah, no!" he went on. "You know yourself that only one thing is possible. I cannot force you into my arms, Louise. If you care to take up my life and break it in two, you can do it. But think what it means! I am not rich, but I am rich enough to take you where you will, to live with you in any country you desire. I don't know what your scruples are--I shall never ask you again. But, dear, you must not! You must not send me away." She was silent. She had dropped her veil and her head had sunk a little. "If I believed that there was anybody else," he continued, "I would go away and leave you alone. If I doubted for a single moment that I could make you happy, I would not trouble you any more. But you belong to me, Louise! You have taken up your place in my life, in my heart! I cannot live without you! I do not think that you can live without me! You mustn't try, dear! You mustn't!" He held her unresisting hand, but her face was hidden from him. "What it is that you fancy comes between us I cannot tell," he continued, more gravely. "Only let me tell you this. We are no longer in any danger from Stephen Heneage. He has abandoned his quest altogether. He has told me so with his own lips." "You are sure of that?" she asked softly. "Absolutely," he answered. She hesitated for a moment. He remained purposely silent. He was anxious to try and comprehend the drift of her thoughts. "Do you know why?" she asked. "Did he find the task too difficult, or did he relinquish it from any other motive?" "I am not sure," Wrayson answered. "I met him the night before last. He was very much altered. He had the appearance of a man altogether unnerved. Perhaps it was my fancy, but I got the idea--" "Well?" she demanded eagerly.