"Oh, Richard, you are involved innocently--you say you could not help loving me----" "I couldn't." "But you had no right to involve me, sir. But there, I won't reproach you. She won't give you up; you will have to keep your word, that's all." She spoke with infinite sadness. "You have loved me, anyway, and that's a great deal. I ought to be thankful for that, I suppose," she continued. They were sheltered now from the observation of every one,--but Barry from the ship,--and she put her handkerchief up to her eyes and sobbed out the following in broken sentences: "I've thought it out all night long, Richard. You saved that girl's life; she has a claim on you. I know she loves you deeply; and of course she won't give you up. I--I wouldn't myself," she wailed. "I hope you will be very hap--hap--happy with her and--you will forget all about this. Oh, Dick, Dick!" "My heavens! Emily, you nearly drive me distracted! I tell you I couldn't be happy with an arch-angel if she were not you! She must give me up! She shall! I don't really suppose she will hesitate a moment. Why, if she could see you she would know in a glance that I could not help falling in love with you." "Probably she thinks she's as nice as I am," she continued, through her tears. "She would look upon me as an ignorant little country girl. She would wonder how you could possibly fall in love with me. I wonder about it myself. You do love me, don't you?" anxiously. "Of course I do. I have told you a thousand times, and I mean it! I mean it more every time I tell you, and I want to tell you more every time I see you. I won't marry Josephine Remington, and that's all there is about it!" "You must!" decisively. "If you say that again, Emily, we will quarrel right here," sternly. "Perhaps that would be best. If we quarrelled it would be easier to break it off." "Well, we won't quarrel, then. But what I am going to do I cannot say. I'll just tell the truth and stick to it. I wish--oh, I wish--they hadn't come! I do not want to see her at all." "But you must go, and go right away!" "Oh, very well. The sooner it is over the better, perhaps. Good-by, Emily." "Good-by, Richard," heartbrokenly. "Won't you kiss me good-by? You have not kissed me since last night. You have not let me see you alone this long morning," reproachfully. "No," answered Emily, with sad decision; "I do not believe I shall kiss you. We are not yet engaged, and you may not belong to me, after all. I think I would better not." "Oh, all right, then," with a savage simulation of unconcern. "You are not angry, are you?" timidly. "No, I am not angry; but I am awfully----" "You see I am afraid it's the end and another kiss would make it--harder."