Phyllis. Why, even the bishop--_would sit upon a fence to see how the
book would be received by the public before taking action against the
author_," was what was in his mind, but he stopped short, and then added
a phrase that had no reference to the bishop. "Can you ever have loved
me?" was the phrase which he thought should appeal to her more forcibly
than any reference to the bishop's sense of what was opportune.

She took back her hand, and her eyes fell at the same moment that her
face flushed.

He felt that he had not been astray in his estimate of the controversial
value--in the eyes of a girl, of course--of the appeal which he made
to her. A girl understands nothing of the soundness of an argument on
a Biblical question (or any other), he thought; but she understands an
appeal made to her by a man whom she had loved, and whom she therefore
loves still, though something may have occurred to make her think
otherwise.

"Can you ever have loved me?" he said again, and his voice was now more
reproachful.

There was a pause before she said:

"That is the question which I have been asking myself for some
time--ever since I read about that book. Oh, please, Mr. Holland, do
not stay any longer! Cannot you see that if, after you have made an
explanation that should satisfy any reasonable person, I still remain
in my original way of thinking, I am not the woman who should be your
wife?"