She asked him the question so naively, as she half lay back in her place, that a cold chill came upon him again, and, letting her hand fall, he took a turn to the window and back, half ready to say nothing then; but nerving himself once more, he took a chair, drew it to the lounge, and, seating himself again, took her hand. "Another inspection, doctor?" she said, half laughingly; and then, as she met his eyes, she seemed to comprehend his meaning, and tried to withdraw her hand, but he held it tightly. "Do you know what I want to say to you?" he said gravely. "What you wish to say?" "Yes. There! I cannot speak to you in set terms, but do you think I could know you as I have known, have watched by you, and tended you through all this terrible illness, with any other result? Leo, I love you! Will you be my wife?" "Dr North!" Yes; her mind must be a blank. There was so much genuine surprise in her tone, such a look of astonishment in her eyes, that he knew it now without doubt, and his emotion choked him for the moment, so great was the disappointment and despair her tone evoked. "You wonder at it, but why should you? Listen to me, Leo--" "No, no; stop--stop! You are too hasty. Let me think." She put her hands to her temples, and looked at him half-wonderingly, half amusedly, but to him it seemed as if she were trying to recall something, and he once more caught her hand. "You will listen to me. You will give me your promise, Leo--dear Leo! You seem to belong to me, for I have, as it were, brought you back from the dead. Tell me you will be my wife." She gave him a quick, keen glance that was as if full of horror and revolt, but he could not interpret it, and drew her hand towards his breast. Then, with a quick movement, and a pitying look at the man for whom she felt something approaching gratitude: "No, no," she exclaimed; "it is impossible." "I have spoken hastily. I have taken you by surprise," he cried. "Only tell me this: you do not hate me, Leo?" "Hate you? Oh, no, Dr North," she cried. "Have we not always been great friends? Have you not saved my life?" "Let me be more than friend," he exclaimed; and a curious look came into her eyes, as he went on pouring forth in almost incoherent terms his love for her, the intense longing she had inspired. He could not interpret it--that it was full of mockery and suppressed mirth, mingled with contempt. "You do not speak," he said, at last. "Give me some hope." "What shall I say?" she cried. "It is too much to ask of me. You want me to promise." "Yes," he said; "and I will wait patiently for the fulfilment of that promise." "But I have thought so little of such a thing," she said calmly. "You have taken me so by surprise. I cannot--oh, I cannot promise." "But I may hope?" he said.