think that I would bring shame upon you? No, Robin!--never! I know
what your Uncle Hugo wishes--and oh!--if I could only make him
happy I would do it!--but I cannot--it would be wrong of me--and
you would regret it--"

"I should never regret it," he interrupted her, quickly. "If you
would be my wife, Innocent, I should be the proudest, gladdest man
alive! Ah, dear!--do put all your fancies aside and try to realise
what good you would be doing to the old man if he felt quite
certain that you would be the little mistress of the old farm he
loves so much--I will not speak of myself--you do not care for
me!--but for him--"

She looked up at him with a sudden light in her eyes.

"Could we not pretend?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why, pretend that we're engaged--just to satisfy him. Couldn't
you make things easy for me that way?"

"I don't quite understand," he said, with a puzzled air--"How
would it make things easy?"

"Why, don't you see?" and she spoke with hurried eagerness--"When
he comes home to-night let him think it's all right--and then--
then I'll run away by myself--and it will be my fault--"

"Innocent! What are you talking about?"--and he flushed with