"What is it?" she asked, a queer expression darkening her eyes. She stepped a little away from him. "I must write to you, dear," he said. "I--I will explain things by letter. You are good to me--very, very good--but I will explain things by letter." "But--Michael, can't you speak? Don't you--don't you--really love me?" "Of course I do--of course I do--" Just then the door was opened, and in came Colonel Arbuthnot. "I am sorry to interrupt you two young people," he said, "but the fact is, I want to hear what arrangements you have made. I stand in the place of father to this young girl, Michael Reid. Are you willing to be her husband; to wait for her until you can afford to marry; to live a clean and good life for her sake, sir; to make yourself worthy of her? She is a very precious gem, sir--a girl hard to match: she has purity of heart and honesty of motive. She is innocent, sir, as the dawn, and beautiful, sir, as the sunrise. Do you think you are fit for her? Tell me so, honestly, and at once: otherwise, I shall not be able to give my consent." "I am not--I am not fit for her; I am not worthy," said Michael. "That is for yourself to decide, of course--" "Oh--but Michael--" said poor Florence. "Florence, dear, be silent. Michael Reid must speak now from his full heart. Michael, I know all about this little affair." "_Little_ affair!" said Florence. She felt indignant at the word "little" being introduced. The Colonel turned to her with a very gentle smile. He laid his hand on her arm. "You are very young, my darling," he said; "only a child--little more than a child. You don't understand the world at all." "He said he wanted me for myself; that--that he would love me if I were as poor as a church mouse," said Florence. "You did say those words, didn't you, Michael Reid?" said the Colonel. Michael dropped his eyes. "One says a great many things," was his reply, "that one--doesn't--" "Ah, I see," said the Colonel. "You thought Florence Heathcote would be rich. Florence, don't leave the room,"--for Florence was moving towards the door--"I wish you to stay, my dear. There is a little lesson which you two young people must learn, and you must learn it now, and in my presence. It will hurt you both for a time, but in the end you will both recover. Now, Michael, you made love to Florence Heathcote, believing her to be well off." "Everybody else thought the same," said Michael Reid. "Then you didn't mean that about the church mouse?" said Florence. "To tell the truth," said Michael, desperately, "it was quite impossible--I mean, it _is_ quite impossible. I am not at all well off myself--" "But I said I was willing to wait," said Florence. "_Let him_ speak, Florence; don't interrupt," said the Colonel.