it, I can tell you! He's stiff and unfit to work to-day--that's
why Uncle Hugo has taken him to the town. I told the whole story
to Uncle Hugo this morning--and he says I did quite right. But
it's a bore to have to go on 'bossing' Landon--he bears me a
grudge, of course--and I foresee it will be difficult to manage
him. He can hardly be dismissed--the other hands would want to
know why; no man has ever been dismissed from Briar Farm without
good and fully explained reasons. This time no reasons could be
given, because your name might come in, and I won't have that--"

"Oh, Robin, it's all my fault!" she exclaimed. "If you would only
let me go away! Help me--do help me to go away!"

He stared at her, amazed.

"Go away!" he echoed--"You! Why, Innocent, how can you think of
such a thing! You are the very life and soul of the place--how can
you talk of going away! No, no!--not unless"--here he drew nearer
and looked at her steadily and tenderly in the eyes--"not unless
you will let me take you away!--just for a little while!--as a
bridegroom takes a bride--on a honeymoon of love and sunshine and
roses--"

He stopped, deterred by her look of sadness.

"Dear Robin," she said, very gently--"would you marry a girl who
cannot love you as a wife should love? Won't you understand that
if I could and did love you I should be happier than I am?--though
now, even if I loved you with all my heart, I would not marry you.
How could I? I am nothing--I have no name--no family--and can you