"You can never be my wife?"

"Never!"

"Why?"

There was no answer. She was incapable of telling him a
falsehood. She was ashamed to tell him the truth.

He stooped over her, and suddenly possessed himself of her hand.
Holding her hand firmly, he stooped a little lower; searching for
the signs which might answer him in her face. His own face
darkened slowly while he looked. He was beginning to suspect her;
and he acknowledged it in his next words.

"Something has changed you toward me, Clara. Somebody has
influenced you against me. Is it--you force me to ask the
question--is it some other man?"

"You have no right to ask me that."

He went on without noticing what she had said to him.

"Has that other man come between you and me? I speak plainly on
my side. Speak plainly on yours."

"I _have_ spoken. I have nothing more to say."

There was a pause. She saw the warning light which told of the