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Rose O' the River by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin
page 66 of 101 (65%)
when you were selecting another husband, you had chosen a whole
man!"

Rose quivered with the scorn of his tone. "Size isn't
everything!" she blazed.

"Not in bodies, perhaps; but it counts for something in hearts
and brains, and it is convenient to have a sense of honor that's
at least as big as a grain of mustard-seed."

"Claude Merrill is not dishonorable," Rose exclaimed impetuously;
"or at least he isn't as bad as you think: he has never asked
me to marry him."

"Then he probably was not quite ready to speak, or perhaps you
were not quite ready to hear," retorted Stephen, bitterly; "but
don't let us have words,--there'll be enough to regret without
adding those. I have seen, ever since New Year's, that you were
not really happy or contented; only I wouldn't allow it to
myself: I kept hoping against hope that I was mistaken. There
have been times when I would have married you, willing or
unwilling, but I didn't love you so well then; and now that
there's another man in the case, it's different, and I'm strong
enough to do the right thing. Follow your heart and be happy; in
a year or two I shall be glad I had the grit to tell you so.
Good-by, Rose!"

Rose, pale with amazement, summoned all her pride, and drawing
the turquoise engagement ring from her finger, handed it silently
to Stephen, hiding her face as he flung it vehemently down the
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