"No--no--no!" she said. She grew very white, and sat down,
breathing quickly. Then the color came back faintly into her lips.
"Don't say it, Lewis; it isn't true. It can't be true!"

"It is true," he said, with a groan. He had sunk into a chair,
and his face was hidden in his hands. "What are we going to do?"
he said, hoarsely.

"Why, you mustn't be!" she cried; "you can't be--that's all.
You can't STAY if I go!"

"I must stay," he said.

There was a stunned silence. Then she said, in an amazed whisper:

"What! You don't love me any more?"

Still he was silent.

"You--don't--love--me," she said, as if repeating some astounding fact,
which she could not yet believe.

He seemed to gather his courage up.

"I have--" he tried to speak; faltered, broke, went on:
"I have--the kindliest feelings toward you, 'Thalia"--his last
word was in a whisper.

"Stop!" she protested, with a frightened look--"oh, stop!--