"Vera, who was peculiarly sensitive to her surroundings, could hardly have chosen a more unsuitable place had she known of the proposition that was about to be made to her, and supposing she wished to refuse it. Though she did not know, she suspected that her companion had something important to say, for Amy had not neglected an opportunity in which to throw out a few hints on the subject. "’Vera,’ Frint said almost as soon as the girl had made herself comfortable, ’how lovely you look to-day!’ And as he said this he bent over and kissed her hair. "She took no notice, and he kissed her forehead. She half raised one hand and he kissed her cheek. She put one finger on her lips, and he touched it with his own. "’You are very naughty to-day, Albert,’ she said. ’You must sit down over there where you will be out of the way of temptation.’ "As he sat down he said, ’Vera, I have been thinking a good deal lately.’ "’I wish you would give up the bad habit,’ she replied. ’It is a foolish thing to do, and usually ends in making you grumpy and uninteresting. Let us be children, and live in the present as long as we can. Let us play, and be contented with our toys. If a child once begins to analyze his wooden horse, the interest vanishes, and he wants a real live one. If you persist in analyzing your game of love-making, you will end in wanting me to run away with you.’ "’But,’ he said, ’in this case it is so difficult to know where to draw a line.’ "’Then don’t try. That is what I told you just now not to do,’ she said. ’Why cannot you be contented?’ "’Because I love you, and want to have you always with me,’ he answered. ’Because I hate to see another man near you. Oh, Vera! it is all very well to talk about playing at love. When I am with you it is all right, I am happy. But when I leave you it is like going down to hell. It cannot go on, it is killing me. I must have you all in all or I must go. Tell me,’ he said, ’do you not know some such feeling? Is it to you only a game of play? Am I nothing more than a toy which at any moment you could cast aside? Oh, Vera! do you not in your heart love me even a little?’ "’You are quite interesting to-day, Albert,’ she said. ’You play your part to perfection. I will try to live up to you and play mine. We will pretend we are in earnest. Yes, dearest, I love you.’ "He fell into her mood. It would be easier in this way to say what he had decided to tell her.