"Of course, I love you," she said impatiently, as though surprised and hurt that he or she had ever doubted it. "You always were mine; you are _mine_! Nobody else could ever have had you--no matter what you did--or what I did.... And nobody except you could ever, ever have had me. That is perfectly plain now.... Oh, you--you darling"--she murmured, drawing his face against hers. Tears sprang to her brown eyes; her mouth quivered. "You _will_ love me, won't you? Because I'm going quite mad about you, Duane.... I don't think I know just what I'm saying--or what I'm doing." She drew him closer; he caught her, crushing her in his arms, and she yielded, clung to him for a moment, drew back in flushed resistance, still bewildered by her own passion. Then, into her eyes came that divine beauty which comes but once on earth--innocence awakened; and the white lids drooped a little, and the mouth quivered, surrendering with a sigh. * * * * * "You never have, never could love any other man? Say it. I know it, but--say it, sweetheart!" "Only you, Duane." "Are you happy?" "I am in heaven." She closed her eyes--opening them almost immediately and passing one hand across his face as though afraid he might have vanished. "You are there yet," she murmured with a faint smile. "So are you," he whispered, laughing--"my little dream girl--my little brown-eyed, brown-haired, long-legged, swift-running, hard-hitting----" "Oh, _do_ you remember that dreadful blow I gave you when we were sparring in the library? _Did_ it hurt you, my darling--I was sure it did, but you never would admit it. Tell me now," she coaxed, adorable in her penitence. "Well--yes, it did." He laughed under his breath--"I don't mind telling you now that it fractured the bridge of my nose." "What!"--in horror. "That perfectly delicious straight nose of yours!" "Oh, I had it fixed," he said, laughing. "If you deal me no more vital blows than that I'll never mind----" "I--deal you a--a blow, Duane! _I_!" "For instance, by not marrying me right away----" "Dear--I can't." The smile had died out in her eyes and on her lips. "You know I can't, don't you?" she said tenderly. "You know I've got to be fair to you." Her face grew graver. "Dear--when I stop and try to think--it dismays me to understand how much in love with you I am.... Because it is too soon.... It would be safer to wait before I start to love you--this way. There is a cowardly streak in me--a weak streak----" "What blessed nonsense you do talk, don't you?" "No, dear." She moved slightly toward him, settling close, as though within the circle of his arms lay some occult protection.