"You know I will." "With all your heart?" he asked, trembling. "I do already." "Will you give yourself to me?" There was a second's hesitation; then with a sudden movement she dropped her face on his shoulder. After a moment her voice came, very small, smothered: "What did you mean, Louis?" "By what--my darling?" "By--my giving myself--to you?" "I mean that I want you always," he said in a happy, excited voice that thrilled her. But she looked up at him, still unenlightened. "I don't quite understand," she said--"but--" and her voice fell so low he could scarcely hear it--"I am--not afraid--to love you." "Afraid!" He stood silent a moment, then: "What did you think I meant, Valerie? I want you to _marry_ me!" She flushed and laid her cheek against his shoulder, striving to think amid the excited disorder of her mind, the delicious bewilderment of her senses--strove to keep clear one paramount thought from the heavenly confusion that was invading her, carrying her away, sweeping her into paradise--struggled to keep that thought intact, uninfluenced, and cling to it through everything that threatened to overwhelm her. Her slim hands resting in his, her flushed face on his breast, his words ringing in her ears, she strove hard, hard! to steady herself. Because already she knew what her decision must be--what her love for him had always meant in the days when that love had been as innocent as friendship. And even now there was little in it except innocence; little yet of passion. It was still only a confused, heavenly surprise, unvexed, and, alas! unterrified. The involuntary glimpse of any future for it or for her left her gaze dreamy, curious, but unalarmed. The future he had offered her she would never accept; no other future frightened her. "Louis?" "Dearest," he whispered, his lips to hers. "It is sweet of you, it is perfectly dear of you to wish me to be your--wife. But--let us decide such questions later--" "Valerie! What do you mean?" "I didn't mean that I don't love you," she said, tremulously. "I believe you scarcely understand how truly I do love you.... As a matter of fact, I have always been in love with you without knowing it. You are not the only fool," she said, with a confused little laugh. "You darling!" She smiled again uncertainly and shook her head: "I truly believe I have always been in love with you.... Now that I look back and consider, I am sure of it." She lifted her pretty head and gazed at him, then with a gay little laugh of sheer happiness almost defiant: "You see I am not afraid to love you," she said. "Afraid? Why should you be?" he repeated, watching her expression. "Because--I am not going to marry you," she announced, gaily. He stared at her, stunned.