aches for Nell, and I just couldn't see him murder her girlhood, and it
will amount to that if he involves her heart any more than it is. I made
up my mind to have it out with him and accordingly let him come and sit
on my side steps with me late yesterday afternoon, when I have avoided
being alone with him for a month.

"Polk," I asked him suddenly without giving him time to get the
situation into his own hands, skilled in their woman-handling, "do you
intend to marry Nell or just plain break her heart for the fun you get
out of it?"

His dangerous eyes smoldered back at me for a long minute before he
answered me:

"Men don't break women's hearts, Evelina."

"I think you are right," I answered slowly, "they do just wring and
distort them and deform them for life. But I intend to see that Nell's
has no such torturous operation performed on it if I can appeal to you
or convince her."

"When you argue with Nell be sure and don't tell her just exactly the
things _you_ have done to _me_ all this summer through, Evelina." he
answered coolly.

"What do you mean?" I demanded, positively cold with a kind of
astonished fear.

"I mean that I have never offered Nell one half of the torture you have
offered me, every day since you came home, with your damned affectionate